Check your Feed

[Buknee]

Hello Friends,

I just want to send out a warning of concern. It seems some companies are changing the ingredients for their pellets.
I noticed this in my pellets about two months ago. I had a bag with lots of dried corn kernels in it. Upon further observation, I saw small pieces of corn in the pellets. I contacted my local feed store and they took them back without issue. (I had a few bags) Picked up a couple more and there was more corn.
They ordered in a non GMO locally grown pellets for me which I have switched to. Several others have switched as well.

I nearly lost my Flemish Giant doe and her first litter. I am thanking God that I noticed the change and got her on fresh veggies (lots of kale) and hay along with some Nutri Drops, raspberry branches, wheat fodder and an bit of fruit. She was so skinny that I assumed she wasn't pregnant. Well, she kindled 10 kits. One was DOA, the others were tiny. I was certain I would lose some. I continued to feed the above and soon she began to eat pellets again. The new brand. She has put weight back on and all 9 of her kits are thriving. They will be six weeks old this weekend. So, happy ending for me.

Today, I learned that a friend had the same issue. Unfortunately, she lost two of her purebred does and most of a litter. So heartbreaking.

I highly advise you to check your feed quality often. Your bunnies life could depend on it.
For me, it is worth paying a bit more for higher quality.

My FG/Rex litter, just because...they are survivors!

 

[kusanar314]

Out of curiosity, why would changing the formulation of the pallets to include some corn be an issue and cause a rabbit to get dangerously thin?

 

[StonyCreekSilverFox]

I think it's the sugar content of the corn. I might be wrong.

 

[kusanar314]

I think it's the sugar content of the corn. I might be wrong.

Typically when feeds (at least reputable brands, and they didn't say what brand they were feeding) change their formulation it is to get the same nutritional results out of less cost. The nutritional value shouldn't have changed. And if it's sugar, then shouldn't the issue have been overweight, not half starved?

Something just isn't computing.

 

[Alaska Satin]

Out of curiosity, why would changing the formulation of the pallets to include some corn be an issue and cause a rabbit to get dangerously thin?

First, any sudden and/or significant change in a rabbit's diet can throw it for a loop. The microorganisms in the cecum comprise a population that is adapted to the rabbit's diet. A sudden change can cause mass disorganization in the relative abundances of the various microorganisms, giving the rabbit gut dysbiosis, gas, bloating, etc., as some microorganisms flourish and others begin to starve. Even if you are not feeding "bad" microorganisms (see below), a sudden change can be very uncomfortable for the rabbit as its gut adjusts to the new diet. And if a rabbit feels lousy, it quits eating, resulting in a cascade of problems that eventually are hard to reverse. That's one reason it's suggested that when changing to a new feed, you feed both for sometime, to give the rabbits' internal critters time to adjust. It's also a reason that many of us have had problems with our rabbits when a feed mill changes ingredients (or even changes sources for the same ingredients) without notifying customers.

I think it's the sugar content of the corn. I might be wrong.

Yes, corn is high in sugar, which is bad for the rabbit for one of the same reasons it is bad for us: it feeds "bad" bacteria and especially yeasts in the digestive tract, particularly the cecum in the rabbit. While those "bad" organisms are present normally in small numbers, their populations explode when given extra simple carbs (sugar). Also, corn hulls can cause intestinal blockage issues, leading to GI stasis.

If unaddressed, those issues can result in a dangerously malnourished and sick rabbit. However, there is another risk to corn; the risk is there for all grains, really, but corn seems to carry a higher risk. Corn is especially susceptible to several dangerous molds. It is not the mold itself, but the toxins it produces, that are the problem, so even if the corn is no longer moldy, it can still carry these toxins. (Incidentally, many mycotoxins are also toxic to humans, so if your animals ingest them, they can affect you if you eat the animal.) There are quite a few molds and associated mycotoxins, but two of the big ones are these:

Fusarium molds produce mycotoxins called fumonisins and are common in corn. Fumonisins can cause a variety of illnesses in animals, especially to their liver and kidneys.

Aspergillus molds produce aflatoxins; they can be found on corn, rice, peanuts and nuts. Aflatoxins affect liver, kidneys, the immune system and reproductive organs. Eating enough of this toxin over a short period can cause liver failure (in humans as well). It's actually such a serious concern in humans that the FDA tests for its presence in food (though not rabbit food).

Here's a good resource on mycotoxins in general:
https://www.fda.gov/food/natural-toxins-food/mycotoxins

 

[kusanar314]

First, any sudden and/or significant change in a rabbit's diet can throw it for a loop.

Yes, which is another reason I'm confused that the OP's immediate reaction was to change the feed ENTIRELY to a lot of green stuff that presumably she hadn't been eating before. If a little corn being subbed out for something else in pellets that are otherwise the same nutritionally is upsetting her GI tract, changing her entire diet overnight doesn't seem like a well thought out decision to me.

 

[Alaska Satin]

Yes, which is another reason I'm confused that the OP's immediate reaction was to change the feed ENTIRELY to a lot of green stuff that presumably she hadn't been eating before.

I think @Buknee has already been feeding a lot of supplemental foods, so it might have been a matter of just eliminating the problem pellets. She did say she switched the pellet brands, and obviously continued to offer pellets since she said that the doe had begun eating pellets again. But honestly, if the pellets are the problem, you don't really have any alternative than to feed the rabbits something else. It does suggest that it's wise to make sure your rabbits are used to a variety of foods in case you have to remove one of the foods (or as is the case up here, you intermittently can't find a supply of them!).

Once a rabbit is in a serious decline, of course you have to remove the problematic feed; sometimes you then have to feed them whatever they are willing to eat just to keep things moving, figuring the gut damage is already done, and you can help them hang on until their gut can reestablish a good balance.

If a little corn being subbed out for something else in pellets that are otherwise the same nutritionally is upsetting her GI tract, changing her entire diet overnight doesn't seem like a well thought out decision to me.

The problem is that it's potentially/probably more than a little corn being subbed out. The feed company has either changed their formula, possibly dramatically, or they have a quality control issue, letting corn, and who knows what else, into rabbit pellets where it really doesn't belong.

No matter the actual details, the rabbit was suddenly failing on the old pellets, and rebounded impressively on the changes @Buknee made to her diet, managing to kindle and raise a large litter.

 

[Buknee]

Alaska Satin has answered perfectly. Thank you.​

I was not, thank God, only feeding my rabbits pellets. But Petra completely quit eating the pellets and was consuming very little of anything else due to GI issues it had caused. I did not just pile on the greens. I upped her oat/BOSS/Manna mix and she consumed it. I knew she had to eat something, living off grid away from major stores, so you use what you have.

There was no warning that the pellet ingredients had changed or possibly just lack of quality control. I don't know the answer to that. I do know there is a lot going on in the animal world. I will continue to work toward complete self sufficiency in raising everything for my animals. Hopefully I will be able to completely eliminate pellets by this fall.

Corn kernels can be deadly to rabbits. I highly suggest some research on it.
Can Rabbits Eat Corn or Is It Dangerous? - The Bunny Hub has some information. There is a lot out there.
I do feed my rabbits corn stalks and husks as they are safe foods for my hoppy little friends.