Dozens of horses dead at historic Elk City ranch

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Dozens of horses dead at historic Elk City ranch

Sydnee Batzlaff/KFOR and Tanner DeLeon/ KFOR
2 days ago

ELK CITY, Okla (KFOR) — An investigation is underway after dozens of horses mysteriously died in Elk City. … The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) received word from a veterinarian last Friday, August 23, of a potential issue with horses relating to a single bulk feed order for Beutler and Son Rodeo Co.

“Started seeing some stuff that wasn’t right and then all of a sudden looked up and there’s horses just falling over dying,” said Rhett Beutler, co-owner of Beutler and Son Rodeo Co. … Beutler says between 40 to 70 horses died.

The reason for the sudden deaths is still under investigation, but it could be linked to feed that originated in Kansas. … The ODAFF inspector collected a feed sample which is being analyzed in two state-certified laboratories. … ODAFF has informed the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) of the inspector’s site visit and continues to work in coordination with KDA.

An equine specialist says the mill also produces cattle feed and it could have been contaminated with Monensin, which is often given to cattle, but is deadly to horses. … “It affects their heart and so it causes necrosis of the heart tissue, essentially and so in essence, they kind of have heart attacks and so it tends to be pretty rapid onset,” said Kris Hiney, equine extension specialist for Oklahoma State University.

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