Arnaud Martrenchar, DVM, PhD, said that animals in two separate locations suffered "violent symptoms" of paralysis and hepatitis within 24 hours of eating a commercial supplement from a single common bag. The feed had been accidentally contaminated with salinomycin, an ionophore which is often added to poultry feed. The feed manufacturing company, Le Gouessant, based in the North West of France, announced the discovery of their error in late November.

Jean-Charles Oisel, head of communications at Le Gouessant, explained that factory workers had confused the salinomycin additive, coded HYPER 605 SA, with the proper additive, coded HYPER 605. However, serum analyses of the affected equids, performed at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, also revealed the presence of type D botulinum toxins, suggesting a likely combination of factors leading to the animals' reactions.

All fifteen tons of the French Guiana batch of Le Gouessant horse feed were immediately recalled and destroyed.

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