Western Milling has agreed to pay $2.4 million in damages to the owners of several horses that reportedly became ill or died after consuming monensin-contaminated horse feed. | Photo: The Horse Staff

California-based horse feed manufacturer Western Milling LLC has reached a multi-million-dollar settlement with the owners of horses that died or were permanently harmed after consuming monensin-contaminated horse feed.

Monensin is an ionophore antibiotic sometimes added to cattle and other livestock feed, but which is extremely toxic to horses.

In 2015, Western Milling voluntarily recalled some batches of the tainted feed after learning that several horses that reportedly consumed it either became ill or died. The plaintiff’s attorney Warren R. Paboojian said the settlement stems from a 2016 lawsuit brought in Fresno Superior Court by Black Fence Farms; its owner Katie Flanigan; and other owners who fed Western Blend horse feed, lot 5251, prior to the recall