[Shenleysouthdown]

Has anyone else had problems with Countrywide Ewe nuts going mouldy?

My usual Agricultural merchants were taken over by Countrywide last year. I have always used Heygate Ewe nuts, but after the takeover they stopped stocking Heygate &I was forced into using their own Brand Countrywide Farmers Choice 18 ewe nuts.
I have just gone to get a bucket full of nuts to shake to move the sheep & found that the nuts in the open sack were mouldy. I then opened both the other new sacks and found that both the new sacks were mouldy too. I store the food in covered bins in a dry shed, so no water has got anywhere near the sacks. On closer examination of the sacks, I see the expiry date is 31/07/13 but surely they shouldn't go mouldy 2 weeks after expiry.

I have checked my invoice & see I only purchased the nuts 8 weeks ago - so not impressed that I was sold products with such a short expiry date anyway.

I have used Heygate for the last 2 years & the sheep love them, but actually didn't like the countrywide ones when I changed them over - very unusual for ewes to leave food in the trough. I have stored the Heygate nuts for months in the past & never had any problems.

Does anyone know where I can purchase Heygate nuts in Hertfordshire or nearby as I would prefer to continue using them.

I will be speaking to my Agricultural merchants on Monday, so it would be a help to hear if anyone else hashed similar problems?

Not happy as I have to drive an hour to our nearest agricultural merchants only to be supplied with mouldy food

[Hillview Farm]

I've had it before where I've had ago at the store because there is a date down the side of the bag (I thought it was out of date) Only to find that it was the manufacture date.

I can only think that at the store the bag have got wet? So after a while they will go mouldy.

I agree its not on, you have a long drive and lets face it fuel and our time isn't cheap anymore! Give them a call and give them two barrels. you'll usally fine they'll sort the problem and if it really is out of date then they have no leg to stand on!

Good luck

[Azzdodd]

My local merchants I bought a bag of ewe nuts they were moldy put it down to me and fed them the pigs lol then I got some sugar beer and was moldy so I complained got 2 bags off ewe nuts and a apology

[ShaunP]

It is a problem during the summer when the food is processed due to high humidity. Had the problem last year with another supplier and they replaced the bags.

[zarzar]

we used to use countrywide but they started to get expensive and customer care was rubbish we have been buying ours from mole avon for a year now and never had any probs they are always very helpfull even to us guys that are just starting goat keeping and asking stupid questions never had a problem withhaving to return feed but when a small haylage was off they took it back and replaced it or a full refund but i have since noticed they changed hay supplier to so think alot was off.

[Blinkers]

OMG - I have had EXACTLY the same thing happen today.   Same expiry date, same mouldy nuts.....and from Countrywide where I generally get all my feed !!!!  How bizarre there must have been a suspect batch made.   I texted the Rep but it wasn't until 6.30pm so unlikely I'll get a reply before Monday, but will keep you posted on what he says.   I shall certainly be reporting that someone else has had the exact same problem..

[Shenleysouthdown]

Blinkers

Thanks for your reply - I will check the batch number tomorrow & post, so we can see if we both have the same batch!

Thanks

[SallyintNorth]

Just please be very careful about feeding mouldy feed to anything, especially pigs.

There were cases a year or two back where pig feed had gone mouldy, and the mould created mycotoxins (I think I'm remembering this right) which can be, and in some cases were, fatal to pigs.

[Shenleysouthdown]

Thanks Sally

I didn't feed any to the sheep - I wouldn't even have considered it!

Lynn

[Shenleysouthdown]

Blinkers

I have looked at the batch numbers  - 2 batches affected.

Batch 13049 Best before 31/7/13 Ver 3105
Batch 13004 Best before 30/7/13 Ver 3105

Are you bags the same batch?

Will let you know how I get on when I phone the Countrywide

Lynn

[kja]

looking on heygates stockist list there is a supplier in hertfordshire.

we use heygates we did switch to another supplier but the quality was not as good.

they do deliver if you can take on a ton at a time this can be a mixed ton too.

[ScotsGirl]

I haven't had ewe nuts go mouldy but had a bag of goat mix mouldy when opened and replacements went sour very quickly. Won't buy from them again

[Blinkers]

Blinkers

I have looked at the batch numbers  - 2 batches affected.

Batch 13049 Best before 31/7/13 Ver 3105
Batch 13004 Best before 30/7/13 Ver 3105

Are you bags the same batch?

Will let you know how I get on when I phone the Countrywide

Lynn

Hi Lynn,
 
I'll check and let you know 

[Marches Farmer]

Yes, have had this on a couple of occasions, once with pig feed and once with sheep feed - both times Countrywide (now owned by BOCM) and due to bagging in high humidity.  Both times my agricultural merchant complained on my behalf and the bags were swapped out.  Still a time-consuming pain and we had to lug nearly two tonnes of bags by hand to and from the feed shed to the lorry and back again. 

A pig breeder we knew had fertility of her sows plummet due to having feed contaminated with mycotoxins. Countrywide coughed up in the end but it went on for months.

Could do (much) better!

[Shenleysouthdown]

Thanks everyone for all your replies - as I suspected, there seems to be a general problem with Countrywide feeds! I am going to go back to Heygate feeds with another supplier stop using Countrywide for feeds. Over the years I have ever had any problems with Heygate feeds & the sheep certainly prefer them!

Lynn