Santa Anita: Purina feed ban lifted

ARCADIA, Calif. - The California Horse Racing Board has lifted a ban on the use of feed products made by Purina Mills at its Turlock, Calif. plant. The ban was instituted after the company’s products resulted in 48 positive tests statewide for the banned medication zilpaterol last month.

According to a statement released by the racing board on Wednesday, Purina executives have given assurances that their feed no longer contains zilpaterol, which is used to build mass in livestock. The racing board reported that independent testing at UC-Davis found no zilpaterol in samples.

Licensed feed vendors will be allowed to distribute Purina products that were milled since March 27.

The racing board banned Purina products in late March after the positives were identified. The positives occurred at the four racetracks operating in the state – Cal-Expo, Golden Gate Fields, Los Alamitos, and Santa Anita.

The racing board has agreed to dismiss the 48 cases zilpaterol positives, all of which were found since March 1.