Beware imported Alfalfa hay

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=18335

This is every bit as dangerous for small furries as it is for horses. Please be very careful if you are feeding alfalfa hay imported from the USA, eg Oxbow, Alfalfa King.

Adult rabbits generally should not need alfalfa, but some owners do feed it to youngsters.

How worrying

This is baled hay and not packaged. I'm sure packed hay for buns ect go through stricter processes. I will however be sure to have a investigate ant bags if I ever supplement with alfalfa hay, thanks for the link.

I think any imported alfalfa hay should be treated with caution. Whereas people living in America (where these insects are from...UK alfalfa hay shouldn't have this problem) if they buy their alfalfa direct from the farm can ask the farmer whether or not the hay was harvested prior to flowering (in which case the beetles wouldn't be present as they only inhabit the flowers), any that is bought from a retailer, either baled or packaged, doesn't have this possibility as the retailer wouldn't know.

Since most of us wouldn't feed alfalfa anyway, it being too rich for adult bunnies and very high in calcium, those with youngsters may use it, and it would be advisable for them to buy British alfalfa if they can so that they can be certain there is no danger of contamination by blister beetles.

Having had some absolutely dreadful prepackaged imported hay - and in 30+ years of horses and 14 years of rabbits I have seen some pretty poor hay, but this really was awful - it's something I wouldn't hold as necessarily being of high standard. Some is, but it can't be guaranteed. I did, btw, return it to the retailer, who assured me it was from a fresh batch that had just been imported direct from the packaging company.

Oh dear.... I am giving alfafa cakes at the mo for my underweight new rescue bun, though i was just ordering some alfafa from the hay experts, need to go back and see where this comes from

If you Google 'buy alfalfa uk' there are several sources of it grown in the UK. That wouldn't have the beetles which are native to America

Blister beetles in Alfalfa Hay

The RWAF vet consultant, Richard Saunders, has contacted D Micah Kohles of Oxbow regarding reports of blister beetles in alfalfa hay. He received this reply

Dr. Saunders:



Good day and thanks for the email. As you are aware Oxbow takes the quality of our products very seriously. We have developed a QMS (Quality Management System) that includes specific procedures and steps in our hay quality assurance to evaluate for bugs and other contaminants. All hay is visually inspected and core samples taken upon arrival for a variety of routine testing. Oxbow is unique in that all of our hay is hand sorted and hand packed. This allows for a careful visualize and physical analysis of the hay during which time any foreign material is removed. If we find insects in the hay they are collected and submitted to the University of Nebraska for identification. To date we have never identified any blister beetles in any of our hays.



To answer you other question Oxbow has is grown throughout the central and western United Sates by a network of long term growers. We have worked with this network for decades and that are very well trained on our quality assurance programs and the standards our hay must meet. Please let me know if you have additional questions or concerns. Cheers



Micah





Micah Kohles, DVM, MPA

Director of Technical Services

Oxbow Animal Health

29012 Mill Road

Murdock, NE 68407

www.oxbowanimalhealth.com