The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture is currently conducting an investigation into the cause of death for numerous horses at a rodeo stock contracting business.
Beutler & Son Rodeo Company has been providing horses to rodeos throughout the country for almost a century. However, the Oklahoma family business is currently facing a devastating situation, as their generational horses are dying due to what veterinarians suspect to be faulty feed.
Around 40 to 70 horses have lost their lives, according to estimates.
The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture is currently conducting an investigation into the feed sourced from Kansas following a report from a concerned veterinarian.
According to Kaitlyn Hall, the owner and founder of Lazy H Equine, it seems that they have received some feed from a new supplier.
Hall owns a horse ranch in Elk City, located just a few miles away from the Beutler & Son Rodeo Company.
Hall expressed her distress over the challenging situation, acknowledging the devastating reality of the ongoing increase in numbers.
The rodeo community is tightly-knit, and Hall emphasized that the loss will reverberate throughout the entire country.
“It’s going to be a massive event,” Hall remarked. “The impact is truly devastating. They are in the spotlight, and their reputation precedes them, both in terms of the exceptional horses they possess and the outstanding individuals they are.”
On Monday, the Department of Agriculture inspector visited the ranch to gather samples of the feed. The findings of the investigation will only be revealed after a few weeks, once the results are obtained.
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