Urgent - 'Rumensin' & 'Eskalin' in Calf Feed - Bad 4 Cho

[Brett Enright]

I have 30 Isa Brown Layers from which I sell the eggs to family & public. I also have 5 calves in an area accessible by the chooks.

The calves need to eat pellets, but they spill it everywhere & sometimes the chooks consume a little bit if I'm not there soon enough to clean it up.

I need to know if these pellets are HARMFUL to EGGS/Illegal to be fed to chooks. I will readily make up a new feeder to accomodate this if needed.

The pellets are 'Barastoc Baby Calf Feed' (No urea added).

'For Animal treatment. Medicated Animal Food Stuff'.

Analysis:
*Min. Total Crude Protein - 21.0%
*Min Crude Protein from Natural Sources - 21.0%
*Non Protein Nitrogen (or urea) equiv. to Crude
Protein - NIL%
*Max. Crude Fibre - 12.0%
Min. Crude Fat - 3.5%
MONENSIN - 50mg/kg
VIRGINAMYCIN - 20mg/kg

I am worried about the Monensin and Virginamycin (both registered products: Rumensin of Eli Lilly & Company, USA, and Virginamycin of Pfizer Pty Ltd.)

It says WARNING: DO NOT FEED TO HORSES, and THIS PRODUCT DOES NOT CONTAIN RESTRICTED ANIMAL MATERIAL.

What do people think? Is this the eqivalent of feeding starter mash to laying hens? I want to clear up the problem ASAP.

 

[Anonymous]

can you call the feed company or a vet to ask? I know rumensen (sp) is deadly to horses, so I would be careful! Sorry I can't be of more help!

 

[Jay]

Hmmm...if you can't get ahold of the company that makes the feed; just go ahead & change the calves feed; it will also ease your mind. Better safe than sorry! My chickens regularly eat whatever the other critters have spilled and slopped around. BUT...I do my best to see the feed I get is across the board OK for just about anything I have here on the place. Personally I try to avoid 'medicated' feed unless a particular indivual animal needs it. It would also be isolated from everything else until it would be well again. Just my thoughts....
How old are the calves & are they on a medicated feed for any particular reason??

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

Hmmm...if you can't get ahold of the company that makes the feed; just go ahead & change the calves feed; it will also ease your mind. Better safe than sorry! My chickens regularly eat whatever the other critters have spilled and slopped around. BUT...I do my best to see the feed I get is across the board OK for just about anything I have here on the place. Personally I try to avoid 'medicated' feed unless a particular indivual animal needs it. It would also be isolated from everything else until it would be well again. Just my thoughts....
How old are the calves & are they on a medicated feed for any particular reason??

The particular substances listed are used as growth promoters.
And I'm somewhat rabid about staying away from them -- WHY does almost every company have to put that crap into the feed?
What about those of us that don't want to push our cattle? Or those of us that are raising MINIATURE/HERITAGE breeds?!?! Accidentally buying a feed that contains them will "growth promote" the animals right out of their registrations!

Personally, if the birds or eggs will be eaten, I'd keep them away from medicated cattle feed, just like I keep my cattle away from poultry feed.

Ann B