Pepper Grass

["Maggie Mieske" <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

FYI... Just wanted to warn people about an experience we recently had with
a round bale of hay.  Our supplier asked us to try this bale because he
wanted to see how horses would like it.  It was weedier than his other
stuff.  We agreed.  It looked OK on the outside.  2 days later we had
horses with varying amounts of swelling in their fetlocks...some it barely
affected, some swelled just the hind fetlocks and one could barely walk,
she was so swollen on all 4.  We brought them all out, gave them some bute
and hosed down their legs and put them in a different pasture.  The
swelling went down immediately and didn't come back.  As an experiment we
put 2 (the ones barely affected) back in with the hay a couple days later
and sure nuff...they swelled up again.  Not much but enough to notice.  The
guy who sold us the hay took a sample to MSU.  Part of the sample contained
pepper grass.  It's hard to describe.  It has little pods on the stem that
look like they have a little piece of "pepper" inside it.  MSU said it
doesn't have any affect on horses unless a bale contains more than
30%...well, after we got into the bale, it was probably 50-75%.  It created
an allergic reaction.  They said not to worry about permanent damage.  But
I thought some of you might benefit from hearing about this experience.  I
waited to write about it until we had heard from MSU. I knew it was that
hay.  Don't worry...it's out of there and that poor guy has a whole bunch
of it he won't be able to sell.  Well, maybe goats would eat it.  This
stuff comes from a plant that has little white flowers before it's dried. 
I don't know what else it might be called.  I guess it grew abundantly in
our area this year, more than usual.  
Maggie
northern Michigan




white flow


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