Animal Feed Recall Over Fatal Warning

A leading animal food producer has recalled a number of batches of its feed products over concerns they could cause bone deformities in animals and death in chickens.

In an alert issued on Monday, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced that ADM Animal Nutrition, based in Illinois, had recalled specific lots of its feed that may contain elevated levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and chloride, which could harm chickens, pigs, cattle and horses.

The company said that it investigated its manufacturing facility in Quincy, Illinois, after receiving a complaint from a customer regarding a pig refusing to eat the affected product. It added that another customer reported chicken deaths related to the consumption of one of its feed products.

The investigation revealed that the plant had experienced an equipment failure issue impacting ingredient distribution.

In its warning, the FDA said: "The company quickly initiated the recall once it was confirmed that these specific lots could contain harmful levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and/or chloride.

"ADM has been in direct contact with the customers and distributors involved in this recall, and all product has been removed from retail shelves." Newsweek has contacted ADM Animal Nutrition for additional comment.

The company said that customers who had purchased the recalled feed should stop using it immediately and return it to their distributor or to ADM Animal Nutrition directly for a full refund. The lot numbers can be found at the bottom of the label.

The FDA said that the company's Pen Pals Chicken Starter-Grower 25lb bags, lot number 507650QN, may contain elevated levels of calcium and phosphorus, which could lead to leg deformities, trouble standing and walking, as well as fatalities in chickens. The product was distributed between February 29 and March 8 this year, and could have been purchased through distributors in Iowa and Missouri.

The company's Pen Pals Chicken Starter-Grower 50-lb bags, lot number 506942QN, may contain elevated levels of magnesium, which can cause bone deformities, slow growth rate, watery feces and can be fatal to chickens. These products were distributed between February 28 and March 14, 2024, and could have been purchased in Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Iowa, California and Oregon.

Meanwhile, other products had increased levels of sodium and chloride, which can lead to reduced feed intake, thirst and diarrhea; others had increased calcium, which can cause reduced feed intake and feed conversion; and some showed just increased sodium levels, which can cause loose stools and central nervous system issues.

The full list of products affected by the recall includes the following:

• Pen Pals® Chicken Starter-Grower 25-lb bag (product no. 70009ACF46, lot no. 506942QN);
• Pen Pals Chicken Starter-Grower 50-lb bag (product no. 70009AAA44, lot no. 506942QN);
• Pen Pals Chicken Starter-Grower 25-lb case (product no. 70009AAABE, lot no. 507650QN);
• MoorMan's ShowTec Sale Burst w/DF DEN 50-lb. bag (product no. 21256CVWE4, lot no. 506664QN);
• MoorMan's Show-Tec Burst Starter with DFCTC/DEN 50-lb. bag (product no. 24320AYWE4, lot no. 506640QN);
• ShowTec BB 18 BMD 50-lb. bag (product no. 18241AGNE4, lot no. 506939QN);
• ShowTec 14.5/6 BMD 50-lb. bag (product no. 14560AGN, lot no. 507900QN);
• AMPT-A CTC/IGR 50-lb. bag (product no. 54229XNK, lot no. 507828QN);
• ShowTec Hi Fat 18 BMD 50-lb. bag (product no. 18007AGN, lot no. 505791QN);
• Seniorglo 50-lb. bag (product no. 10130AB, lot no. 505426QN);
• MotivAte 12-15 DEN 50-lb. bag (product no. 12286CVW, lot no. 507330QN).