Re: RC: EPM in feeds?

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/21/00 2:41:02 PM Pacific Standard Time, Tivers@aol.com 
writes:

<< That's a new angle. Never thought of feed being the delivery agent for 
EPM. 
 But, come to think of it, there's logic--opossum and bird droppings in grain 
 are not a stretch to envision.  >>

Actually, contaminated grain (opossum droppings) has been demonstrated (not 
sure if by Granstrom's group or who) to be one of the major sources of 
transmission in areas where there are no opossums running around in the 
pastures...  (The bird droppings have not been adequately documented to be 
positively a source unless something has come out on that in the last year or 
so--just that the organism is present in the birds.)  The recommendation from 
those actively involved with this disease for at least the past 3 or 4 years 
(if not longer) has been to not feed ANY grains that are not heat processed 
in some way.  I believe it was Dr. Fenger that told me that even steam 
rolling will kill the causitive organism, S. neurona.

Heidi