Corn Free Grain has Corn in it!!

[Fessy_s_Mom]

I picked up two bags of Nutrena Safechoice Special Care this past Sunday and went to use it today. It had bits of corn in it! :mad: It’s supposed to be low NSC with NO corn. :no: And I’m afraid to go back to the grain store to exchange it because I’m sure it’s all from the same lot. Crap. I’ll see if they’ll sell me the Senior for the same price. For my trouble, I should get THREE bags in return. We’ll see about that…

Has this ever happened to any of you and how did you handle it?

Oh, and here are pictures of what it looks like…

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205772403090174&set=pcb.10205772406970271&type=3&theater

And what it should look like…

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205772403570186&set=pcb.10205772406970271&type=3&theater

[China_Doll]

[QUOTE=Fessy’s Mom;8387220]
I picked up two bags of Nutrena Safechoice Special Care this past Sunday and went to use it today. It had bits of corn in it! :mad: It’s supposed to be low NSC with NO corn. :no: And I’m afraid to go back to the grain store to exchange it because I’m sure it’s all from the same lot. Crap. I’ll see if they’ll sell me the Senior for the same price. For my trouble, I should get THREE bags in return. We’ll see about that…

Has this ever happened to any of you and how did you handle it?

Oh, and here are pictures of what it looks like…

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205772403090174&set=pcb.10205772406970271&type=3&theater

And what it should look like…

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205772403570186&set=pcb.10205772406970271&type=3&theater[/QUOTE]

There is so much crap in it anyway. Its ground into pellets because it isn’t edible any other way and disguised with molasses

[Texarkana]

Discussions about the quality of Nutrena products aside, pretty much all feed mills run corn between batches of feed to “clean” the lines. I have no idea why corn is the product of choice, but I’ve found whole corn kernels occasionally in just about every single brand of commercial feed I’ve ever purchased. Annoying when you have a horse with a corn intolerance.

[Jumper_girl221]

I’ve found corn in triple crown senior.

Shrugs.

[Fessy_s_Mom]

Huh. I just don’t get why they would do that when making a “corn free” grain. Makes no sense.

[Kodidog763]

I would also let Nutrena know about it. I had a bag of Safe Choice Senior which contained lumps of ??something?? I emailed customer service with photos of the stuff, and they wanted the lot number, etc so they could follow-up with the mill. They also sent me several coupons for free bags.

[sid]

I lost a mare years ago from Triple Crown Lite that supposedly had no corn in it (a pellet as well), but also did. Obviously a mistake at the plant. She died of fumonsin poisoning. Scary. One reason I don’t feed pelleted feed.

[Fessy_s_Mom]

sid - how awful, I’m so sorry. A friend of mine told me the grain looked like layer pellets - what if that’s what it is? :eek:

Kodidog - I did hear from them this morning and that’s what they wanted to know as well. I honestly wish I had more options for grain for my herd. I’m in the middle of nowhere and it’s a drive to any grain store that carries TC. IDK, it looks like I may be putting some miles on my car…

[cowboymom]

If you understand how pellet mills work, it’s surprising that mistakes don’t happen more often. Wrong runs, hangups that break loose, wrong formula, wrong bag, and that’s not even getting into moisture for mold and consistency.

If you want to feed a processed feed it will happen from time to time. If your horse has a serious issue keeping a close eye on the feed will just be part of it.

[ChocoMare]

Many EquiPride dealers deliver or you can have it drop-shipped direct.

[Fessy_s_Mom]

cowboymom - I do understand that. I’m lucky in that my draftX mare isn’t diagnosed IR so I don’t have to be real careful with her feed. But how scary if a horse was allergic to corn. I just think they should have better quality control on these products.

Thanks ChocoMare.

[cowboymom]

If I had a horse that was absolutely allergic to something like that I would not use pellets.

It’s like having a child allergic to peanuts and then buying food made in a place that also processed peanuts.

QC is important, for sure. :yes:

[sid]

[QUOTE=Fessy’s Mom;8388415]
cowboymom - I do understand that. I’m lucky in that my draftX mare isn’t diagnosed IR so I don’t have to be real careful with her feed. But how scary if a horse was allergic to corn. I just think they should have better quality control on these products.

Thanks ChocoMare. :D[/QUOTE]

The bigger concern is if cattle corn (plant the does cattle feed and horse feed), gets mixed up.

Cattle can eat corn with fumonisin, no problem. Only 2 lbs can kill a horse with a brain melt down within a few days. IR or not.

THAT’s the biggest concern. Which corn is it? For horses or cows. Never the two can mix. For cows maybe, not for horses.

[cutter99]

There is nothing in unmedicated layer pellets that would hurt a horse.

[StormyDay]

[QUOTE=Fessy’s Mom;8388415]
cowboymom - I do understand that. I’m lucky in that my draftX mare isn’t diagnosed IR so I don’t have to be real careful with her feed. But how scary if a horse was allergic to corn. I just think they should have better quality control on these products.

Thanks ChocoMare. :D[/QUOTE]

I have a horse allergic to corn. I finally gave up with premixed grains because no manufacturer has truly ‘corn free’ grain. Either you find corn like you did in it, or at the bottom of the list of ingredients it will say ‘grain byproducts’ so they can secretly add corn.
Long story short, I understand your pain and frustration!

[cutter99]

Yes, manufacturers have truly corn free grain. If it is advertised as “corn free”, the formulation does not contain corn. They cannot “secretly add corn” by using “grain byproducts”. Not sure where you got this piece of misinformation, but it is wrong!

As mentioned above, equipment is usually cleaned by running a purge of corn and occasionally it can hang up and appear in a bag. Pick the corn out and feed the feed as usual.

Another fallacy appearing here is that mills keep “cattle corn” and “horse corn”. Any manufacturer with any sort of standards, and yes, this includes Nutrena, testes corn when it comes into the plant and either accepts or rejects loads based on a set criteria. No mill that I know of, and I have toured and audited many, has the space to keep “cattle” and “horse” corn.

I also know that not all mills use the same standards, and I have seen loads of corn be rejected at a facility and go right down the road to be accepted at one with lesser standards.

You can rag all you want about the Purinas and Nutrenas of the world, but the companies who produce those products have much higher standards than most smaller mills.

[Fessy_s_Mom]

StormyDay - I would also be afraid to feed a commercial feed if my horse was allergic to corn - why take the chance? :no: Especially after this…

cutter99 - good to know about the layer feed. :yes: Also, thanks for all the info regarding feed mills. Just like dog food, you’ll find differing opinions on all the different brands based on people’s own experiences. I have found the Nutrena to be pretty consistent in quality and consistency - which is why I was able to spot the problem so quickly with this bag. My horses aren’t fed a lot of grain as they are out on pasture 24/7 so I’m not too concerned. They are all happy, of good weight and healthy.

[StormyDay]

[QUOTE=cutter99;8390776]
Yes, manufacturers have truly corn free grain. If it is advertised as “corn free”, the formulation does not contain corn. They cannot “secretly add corn” by using “grain byproducts”. Not sure where you got this piece of misinformation, but it is wrong!
You can rag all you want about the Purinas and Nutrenas of the world, but the companies who produce those products have much higher standards than most smaller mills.[/QUOTE]

While it is true that they are not supposed to have any corn, no organization tests these products to make sure they are what they say they are on a regular basis. There have been quite a few scandals of food companies for people having ingredients in the product that were not listed, so you cannot expect feed companies to be much better.

However, I was referring to the grain that isn’t advertised as ‘corn free’ but corn isn’t listed on its bag. Just because the grain doesn’t specifically list corn, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have it. And even if it does say corn free, as the OP found out, it doesn’t mean it actually is corn free either!
And for those of us with horses allergic to corn, running corn through the mill can be a serious problem. That would be like telling someone allergic to peanuts to pick the peanuts out of their food and eat it.
Also, i actually like Purina.

[cutter99]

I can and do expect the feed companies to correctly and accurately state what they are putting in bagged feed because as a 15 year employee of the industry I know they do. Do you realize that the better manufacturers retain samples of finished lots in case there are issues? Those samples can be analysized at any time, just like you can send sample from the bags you purchase to be analysized as well.

As the customer, you have a choice between purchasing bagged feeds that are either listed with collective term ingredients, which do not have to list every individual ingredient, or term specific ingredients, which do.

Formulations can and do change over time, depending on customer demands and needs and feeding trends. I have yet to see a feed manufacturer make random changes that they know will affect an animal’s well being “just because”.

Do mistakes ever happen? You betcha, because as automated as feed mills have become, they are still run by fallible humans. Are there stringent guidelines in place to help to prevent mistakes? Yes, just like any other industry feed manufacturers follow HACCP guidelines and procedures and are HACCP certified. Feed manufactures are also under FDA and USDA guidelines as what they produce goes into the world’s food supply.

The feed industry is not run in the haphazard way many seem to assume it is!

[Hermein]

I am leary of all the “better” feeds who outsource production to a convenient miller rather than doing it in their own facilities. Case in point is Western Milling, that recently got cow medication mixed into horse feed–several horses died and many others are more or less on a “wait list” to succumb. I realize that the Triple Crowns of the feed world have to make a buck, and at least they aren’t sending it to China, but I have personally found lots of stuff that should not be in any sack of feed–like a dead, molasses-covered mouse.

I would like to see stricter control/oversight of those mills that are actually putting the feed together.