Equine

Equine Welfare Program Seeks Input on Grants

The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s new Division of Animal Welfare is seeking input from people with expertise on horse, donkey and mule welfare to help shape the new Equine Welfare Assistance Grant program. Stakeholders can provide comments by taking a brief survey to help inform how to develop the grant program, which will award a total of $200,000 to projects that promote the well-being of Colorado’s domestic equines. The survey closes on September 18.

West Nile Virus Confirmed in Weld County Horse

The Colorado State Veterinarian’s office has confirmed the first case of equine West Nile Virus (WNV) of 2023 in a gelding residing in Weld County. The horse presented with sudden neurological symptoms including weakness, stumbling and recumbency and was euthanized as a result of his condition. The age and vaccine status for this gelding are unknown.  

FDA Issues Advisory Warning About Recalled Alfalfa Following Equine Deaths Linked to Feed

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) are cautioning horse owners not to feed Top of the Rockies alfalfa cubes with the date codes 111222, 111322, 111422, 111522, and 111622. Consumers who have products marked with those date codes or who are unsure of the date code should throw them away in a secure container and follow the handling and cleaning instructions below.

Pueblo County Horse Euthanized Due To Equine Infectious Anemia

The Colorado State Veterinarian’s Office has received confirmation that a horse in Pueblo County tested positive for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). Samples from the horse initially tested positive at the Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory on June 2, 2022. A second sample was collected and the EIA-positive results were confirmed by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory on June 14, 2022.