Using derived products and products of animal origin in farm
animal feed
Contents
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Background
What do we mean by farmed animal?
What products of animal origin can be fed to farm animals?
What products of animal origin can’t be fed to farm animals?
Where can I source foodstuffs, no longer intended for human consumption from, for use
in animals on my farm or for a business wanting to blend former foodstuffs into a feed for
general sale?
Does the legislation prevent accidental as well as deliberate feeding of catering waste?
What is meant by “not the main characteristic ingredient” when determining whether a
foodstuff no longer intended for human consumption can be used?
What is a processed animal protein?
What egg products can be used for farm animal feed?
Can flavourings containing animal proteins be used in farm animal feed?
What are the requirements for the use of hydrolysed proteins in farm animal feed?
What is the difference between blood products and bloodmeal?
Fishmeal
Dicalcium and tricalcium phosphate of animal origin
Gelatine
Collagen
Processed fats and fish oil
Background
The relevant EU legislation is:
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Regulation 1069/2009 hereafter referred to as the “Control Regulation”.
Implementing Regulation 142/2011 hereafter referred to as the “Implementing
Regulation”.
The feeding to farm animals of catering waste, kitchen scraps, raw, partially cooked and cooked
meat products is prohibited under ABP legislation, in order to control the potential introduction
and spread of major exotic notifiable diseases, such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD),
Classical Swine Fever (CSF) / African Swine Fever, Swine Vesicular Disease, Newcastle
Disease and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The reason cooked products are also
included in the ban is that although cooking may reduce the risk; there are difficulties in
effectively controlling cooking parameters, to ensure virus destruction, or storage to prevent recontamination with raw product. Vegetables are included, as vegetable peelings may be
contaminated with raw meat products during preparation in the sink.
Outbreaks of exotic notifiable disease may not only result in wide-scale destruction of farm
animals, but can be of wider economic importance not only to the agriculture industry, but also
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to the rural economy. The Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in 2001 resulted in large numbers
of cattle and sheep being destroyed and had a huge economic impact running into millions of
pounds.
Even small quantities of food contaminated with live virus, are a risk when fed to susceptible
animals, which once infected, quickly become ill and a walking source of infection to other
livestock. It is because of this risk that we have a blanket ban on feeding farmed animals with
kitchen scraps and catering waste. The ban forms a collective national barrier to the entry of
notifiable diseases and the more times it is breached the more risk there is of a major disease
incident.
This ban also has an impact on reducing the spread of diseases, which may significantly impact
on the animals in a single herd or flock or have public health implications such as salmonella,
E.Coli, campylobacter, toxoplasma, trichinella and clostridium botulinum.
Raw, partially cooked and cooked fish products and shellfish are also included in the ban for
disease risk reasons.
The Feed Ban aspects of the TSE Regulations were introduced initially in NI, during the late
1980’s, to control the spread of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), a progressively
degenerative condition of the Central Nervous System. These regulations have been amended
and adopted by the EC to the Regulations applicable today i.e.
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animal proteins are banned from ruminant feed with exceptions such as milk, eggs,
hydrolysed proteins and gelatine from non-ruminant origin
processed animal proteins are banned from use in farm animal feed with exceptions such
as restricted proteins for non-ruminant feed use.
The Feed Ban in the TSE Regulations remains a cornerstone in preventing new BSE cases or
new BSE-like disease developing.
What do we mean by farmed animal?
The definition in the Control Regulation is that farmed animal means:
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any animal that is kept fattened or bred by humans and used for the production of food,
wool, fur, feather, hides and skins or any other product obtained from animals or for other
farming purposes
equidae (horses).
This includes animals of species normally kept for production purposes in the EU and also
includes pet, zoo, safari park, performance or commercial animals which belong to farmed
animal species. Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 and domestic implementing Transmissible
Spongiform Encephalopathies Regulations (referred to as “the TSE Regulations”) also include
exotic ruminants kept in zoos or safari parks. Horses, farmed fish (not pet or ornamental fish)
and rabbits (but not pet rabbits) are included.
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Pet rabbits are not considered as farmed animals under the requirements for the TSE
Regulations, but feed for both pet & farmed rabbits is now considered as feed for a food
producing animal under an EU Regulation concerning ‘Placing on the Market and Use of Feed’
(Regulation (EC) No. 767/2009).
What products of animal origin can be fed to farm animals?
Only the following products of animal origin can be fed or included in feed products intended for
farm animals, subject to sourcing, storage, use and processing according to the Control
Regulations. They all must originate from low risk category 3 animal by-products (ABP). Out-of
date products or products no longer intended for food use for commercial reasons can be used
for feeding to farm animals, but they must still be safe and must not be, for example,
decomposing, mouldy or contaminated with any foreign bodies or toxic chemicals.
No further processing is required for foodstuffs no longer intended for human consumption, but
for other ABPs or processed products, processing means processed in an approved ABP
processing plant or where indicated in guidance, an equivalent method in a food processing
plant.
1.
Foodstuffs containing products of animal origin no longer intended for human
consumption
Bakery products (such as bread, cakes, pastry, and biscuits), pasta, chocolate, sweets and
similar products such as breakfast cereals which:
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have undergone processing* as defined in Article 2 (1)(m) of Regulation (EC) No.
852/2004 (Hygiene of Foodstuffs) or in accordance with the Implementing Regulation.
Under the Hygiene of Foodstuffs Regulation, ‘processing’ means any action that
substantially alters the initial product, including heating, smoking, curing, maturing,
drying, marinating, extraction, extrusion or a combination of those processes;
is composed of or contain one of the following Category 3 foodstuffs no longer intended
for human consumption: milk*, milk-based products, milk-derived products, eggs*, egg
products, honey, rendered fats, collagen and/or gelatine of non-ruminant origin.
Foodstuffs containing rennet can also be used. and
do not contain, and have not been in contact with raw eggs, meat, fish, and products or
preparations derived from or incorporating meat or fish.
in addition all necessary precautions must have been taken to prevent contamination of
the material with products not eligible for feed use, such as meat, fish and products
containing them.
*Most unbaked bread doughs are made from flour, water and yeast and do not contain products
of animal origin. Unbaked doughs and raw pastries, which do contain products of animal origin
are considered to have satisfied the processing requirement, if the product of animal origin
included as an ingredient has been heat treat. This also applies to fillings and toppings. Single
pasteurisation of milk and egg products would satisfy this requirement.
These can be sourced from manufacturing sources or retail premises (see further information
below on the Feed Hygiene Regulation) and must not originate from or be stored in a household
kitchen or catering sources such as restaurants, fast-food outlets, catering establishments etc.
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2.
Milk, colostrums and milk products
Under certain circumstances, for information see our Disposal, treatment and use of milk
and milk products guidance.
3.
Eggs and egg products
(see further information below).
4.
Food Factory Vegetable Oil/ tallow / fish oil / glycerine
Under certain circumstances, for information see our Use of oils and fats in farm animal
feed guidance.
5.
Hydrolysed proteins derived from parts of non-ruminants and from ruminant hides
and skins
(see further information below).
6.
Gelatine-derived from non-ruminants
(see further information below).
7.
Restricted proteins, but only to non-ruminant animals such as pigs, poultry,
farmed fish and horses.
These include:
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fishmeal
dicalcium and tricalcium phosphate of animal origin
blood products
bloodmeal to farmed fish only.
Fishmeal can also be included in milk replacers for feeding to unweaned ruminants in
liquid form.
Strict separation is required to prevent contamination of ruminant feed with restricted proteins or
feed containing restricted proteins and to prevent ruminant access. There are registration,
authorisation and permission requirements for their use under the TSE Regulations. Ruminants
include cattle, sheep, goats and farmed deer. More information is available on the DARD
website.
Any feed businesses registered by DARD Veterinary Service under the TSE Regulations are
considered as being registered as operators under Article 23 of the Control Regulation.
8.
Collagen
To non ruminant animals only.
What products of animal origin can’t be fed to farm animals?
The following products of animal origin cannot be fed to farmed animals:
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‘Catering waste’, which means all waste food, including used cooking oil originating in
restaurants, catering facilities and kitchens, including central kitchens and household
kitchens. The ban covers both raw and cooked foods, used cooking oils and vegetables,
and applies whether or not any of these has come into contact with meat or meat
products. The feed ban also applies to vegetarian kitchens, in which products of animal
origin such as milk and eggs may be used, but does not include vegan kitchens
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raw meat and fish (including shellfish products) or products containing them
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partially cooked and cooked meat, fish and shellfish products or products containing
them
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egg and egg products, milk and milk products or any other products of animal origin
included above which have not been processed (if processing is needed) according to
the requirements of the Control Regulations
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restricted proteins (see above) cannot be fed to ruminants
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processed animal proteins (see definition below)
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ruminant gelatine or products containing it
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petfood containing or contaminated with raw meat, processed animal proteins or other
ineligible processed products;
products suitable for farm animal feeding and processed (if processing is required),
which have been in contact with ineligible material for example eligible bakery products,
which have been in contact with raw meat.
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Where can I source foodstuffs, no longer intended for human consumption, from for use
in animals on my farm or for a business wanting to blend former foodstuffs into a feed
for general sale?
The Control Regulations allow certain foods, no longer intended for human consumption, to be
used in farm animal feed, from premises such as bakers, supermarkets, crisp manufacturers
and confectioners (although not from kitchens and restaurants based on these premises).
Special approval conditions apply to supermarket or manufacturing returns. For more
information see our Supermarket and manufacturing returns depots guidance.
All businesses, which supply former foods for animal feed use, must comply with the
requirements of Regulation EC No 183/2005 (the “Feed Hygiene Regulation”). To comply with
the Feed Hygiene Regulation, feed businesses must observe a range of requirements relating
to facilities and equipment, quality control, storage, transport and record-keeping and apply the
principles of HACCP. They must also be registered with DARD. Some of these requirements
e.g. registration will also apply to farms, but some smaller farms, such as hobby farms, under
certain circumstances are excluded from these requirements. Further information on the
requirements of the Regulation is available from the Food Standards Agency website.
Farm premises receiving foods for animal feed that include baked goods (bread, cakes, pastry
and biscuits), vegetables, pasta, chocolate, sweets, and other products, such as breakfast
cereals should satisfy themselves that their supplier is aware of the Feed Hygiene Regulation
and is registered with the DARD before receiving these products.
Does the legislation prevent accidental as well as deliberate feeding of catering waste?
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The Domestic Regulations prevent ABPs and catering waste, and derived products originating
from catering waste, from being brought onto any premises where farmed animals are kept, in
order to prevent both the deliberate and accidental feeding of such products. The legislation
does not apply in situations where the person has control of the ABPs, ensuring that farmed
animals are unable to access, such as:
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to allow the application of manure and milk to land,
to allow the collection of dead stock or
for ABPs to be brought on in accordance with certain ABP approvals and authorisations.
What is a processed animal protein?
Processed animal protein are defined in the Implementing Regulations as meaning, “animal
protein derived entirely from category 3 material, which have been treated in accordance with
Section 1 of Chapter II of Annex X (including blood meal and fishmeal), so as to render them:
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suitable for direct use as feed material
for any other use in feedingstuffs, including petfood, or
for use in organic fertilisers or soil improvers.
However it does not include blood products, milk, milk-based products, milk derived products,
colostrum, colostrum products, centrifuge or separator sludge, gelatine, hydrolysed proteins,
dicalcium phosphate, eggs and egg products including egg shells, tricalcium phosphate and
collagen.”
The legislation is complicated, but for example, in circumstances where a category 3 derived
mammalian meat and bone meal (mmbm) is not treated to method 1, it will not be considered a
processed animal protein. This, however, makes no practical difference as neither category 3
mmbm, as a processed animal protein, nor category 3 mmbm as a derived product, could be
used for feeding to farmed animals.
What egg products can be used for farm animal feed?
Eggs or egg products must have been processed before use in farm animal feed in either an
approved ABP processing plant or a food factory. At a food factory they would need to have
been treated in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 (Food Hygiene Regulation),
which sets out the hygiene and safety requirements for the marketing of egg and egg products
for food businesses. They cannot be sourced from a kitchen or from a retail or supermarket
store. Egg shells will need to have been processed in an ABP approved processing plant, prior
to use as grit for poultry.
Can flavourings containing animal proteins be used in farm animal feed?
Foodstuffs no longer intended for human consumption, such as flavoured crisps and other
similar products, where the flavourings contain animal proteins, can be used for feeding nonV1
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ruminant animals such as poultry, pigs and horses, but not for feeding ruminant animals such as
sheep and cattle. This is related to the specific prohibitions in the TSE Regulations and the level
of food processing required for the very low levels of animal proteins present in flavoured crisp
and other similar products.
What are the requirements for the use of hydrolysed proteins in farm animal feed?
Hydrolysed protein must originate from parts of non-ruminants or ruminant hides and skins and
have been processed in an approved ABP processing plant. Hydrolysed proteins have not
previously been included in farm animal feed due to the difficulty in confirming that hydrolysed
proteins have a molecular weight below 10,000 Dalton. The 10,000 Dalton limit now only
applies to hydrolysed protein derived from ruminant hides and skins. Currently no plants are
approved to produce hydrolysed protein in NI. Businesses wanting to process ABPs into
hydrolysed proteins for animal feed use will still need to comply with the requirements of the
TSE Regulations and ensure that hydrolysed proteins being used for farm animal feed do not
contain animal tissues, such as bone fragments, feather fragments and muscle fibres. This will
involve satisfying DARD Veterinary Service that the process:
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can consistently produce final product, which achieves negative test results for the
presence of animal tissues on Microscopic Analysis Testing (MAT) at the National
Reference Laboratory, AHVLA Newcastle (cost of testing is to be borne by the business)
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continues to achieve negative test results for the presence of animal tissues on
Microscopic Analysis Testing (MAT) at the National Reference Laboratory, AHVLA
Newcastle (cost of testing is to be borne by the business).
Hydrolysed proteins must be produced using a production process involving appropriate
measures to minimise contamination.
Hydrolysed proteins entirely or partly derived from ruminant hides and skins must be produced
in a dedicated processing plant, using a process involving the preparation of raw Category 3
material by brining, liming and intensive washing by exposure of the material to:
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a ph of > 11 for more than 3 hours at a temperature of more than 80ºC and subsequently
by heat treatment at more than 140ºC for 30 minutes at more than 3.6 bar
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a ph of 1 to 2, followed by a ph of more than 11, followed by heat treatment at 140ºC for
30 minutes at 3 bar.
What is the difference between blood products and bloodmeal?
The difference between blood products and blood meal is subtle and mainly relates to the ABP
from which the starting material can be sourced.
Definitions in the Implementing Regulations are as follows:
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‘Blood products’ means derived products from blood or fractions of blood, excluding
blood meal; they include dried/ frozen/ liquid plasma, dried whole blood, dried / frozen/
liquid red cells or fractions thereof and mixtures.
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‘Blood meal’ means processed animal protein derived from the heat treatment of blood or
fractions of blood in accordance with Section 1 of Chapter II of Annex X.
A Catalogue of the names and descriptions of commonly used feed materials is included in (EU
Regulation (EC) No. 242/2010). The Catalogue is currently being updated. Use of the
Catalogue is voluntary for feed businesses, but use of the name of a feed material means that
the material must conform to the specified description. The updated version of the Catalogue,
which is currently subject to Standing Committee scrutiny contains the following relevant
entries:
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Blood meal: Product derived from the heat treatment of blood of slaughtered warmblooded animals
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Blood products: Products derived from blood or fractions of blood of slaughtered warmblooded animals; they include dried/frozen/liquid plasma, dried whole blood,
dried/frozen/liquid red cells or fractions thereof and mixtures.
Blood meal of non ruminant origin can only be used for feeding farmed fish, whereas blood
products of non ruminant origin can be used for feeding all non-ruminant species subject to
authorisation, registration and permission requirements under the TSE Regulations. The TSE
Regulations require that only blood from non-ruminant animals can be used for processing into
blood products or bloodmeal for farm animal feeding.
Blood products for non ruminant feeding can only be produced from non ruminant blood
originating from farm animals which:
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were considered fit for human consumption at ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection
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were considered fit for slaughter for human consumption following an ante-mortem
inspection, but the blood or the carcase was rejected as unfit for human consumption at
post-mortem inspection for reasons other than showing signs of disease communicable
to humans or animals.
Blood meal for feeding to farmed fish can be produced from the above and from blood
originating from non ruminant animals, which were fit for slaughter at ante-mortem inspection,
but were rejected as unfit for human consumption at post-mortem inspection, but not for
reasons of showing signs of disease communicable through blood to humans or animals. Blood
originating from live non-ruminant animals, which did not show any sign of disease
communicable through blood to humans or animals, could also be used, but this would be an
unlikely scenario.
One example would be a pig carcase, condemned for reasons of tuberculosis at post mortem
examination. It could be argued that TB was not communicable through blood from that animal,
so that blood from the carcase could be collected for processing and use as blood meal in
farmed fish feed, but blood for processing into blood products for use in pig feed could not be
collected. In the case of a febrile carcase, blood could not be collected for processing into either
blood meal or blood products for non-ruminant feed use.
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In practice, abattoirs are likely to simplify the process and condemn any blood (or blood tank
containing blood) for disposal, from an animal rejected as unfit for human consumption at postmortem examination and allow only blood from animals which are fit for human consumption at
ante-mortem and post-mortem examination to be sent for onward use for feeding.
Blood used for processing into farm animal feed has to be category 3 and must originate from
non-ruminant animals. Blood processors supplying blood meal or blood products must be
authorised under the TSE Regulations and must label the product appropriately. The processor
will like most feed businesses need to be registered under the Feed Hygiene Regulations with
DARD.
Porcine blood or fractions of porcine blood for the production of bloodmeal subject to method 7
must have received a heat treatment of at least 80ºC throughout it’s substance.
A common processing method, for blood products for animal feed use, is spray drying. Spray
drying could be considered as either a method 7 process or as another method, which ensures
that the blood product complies with microbiological standards for enterobacteriaceae and
salmonella set out in Annex X of Chapter I of the Implementing Regulations.
Processing method 7 is any method authorised by DARD Veterinary Service, where the
following have been demonstrated by the operator:
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the identification of relevant hazards in the starting material, in view of the origin of the
material, and of the potential risks in view of the animal health status of NI
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the capacity of the processing method to reduce those hazards to a level which does not
significantly pose any risk to public and animal health
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the sampling of the final product complies with certain microbiological standards.
Similarly, for another method i.e. not method 7, operators processing ABPs are required to have
a HACCP plan.
If processing method 7 or other methods to ensure compliance with microbiological standards
for salmonella and enterobacteriacea are used for blood products, NI authorities consider that
operators should demonstrate when assessing relevant hazards, that they have considered
exotic notifiable disease viruses in addition to other identifiable hazards. This is due to the
potential for exotic notifiable disease viruses to enter NI and not be immediately diagnosed.
Ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection is likely to reduce the risk of blood or other blood
products from infected non-ruminant animals being sent for processing for use in farm animal
feed, but virus can enter the bloodstream in infected animals, before signs of disease are
visible.
The operator should be able to demonstrate that it is likely that the method will reduce the risk
to very low levels, but it is recognised by NI Authorities that it may not be possible to confirm
without doubt that the method is capable of inactivating such viruses (see below re spray
drying).
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Further information relating to exotic notifiable disease viruses for businesses
Plants rendering blood using processing methods 1-5 are likely to reach sufficient temperatures
for a sufficient time to inactivate the major notifiable disease viruses. According to OIE technical
data:
Disease
Temperatures required to inactivate virus
Foot and Mouth Disease
Disease
Heating animal products to a minimum core temperature of 70ºC
for at least 30 minutes
Classical Swine Fever
Heating meat to 65.5ºC for 30 minutes or 71ºC for 1 minute
African Swine Fever
Heat inactivated by 56ºC for 70 minutes; 60ºC for 20 minutes
Highly Pathogenic Avian
Influenza
Inactivated in meat by cooking when reaching a core temp. of
70ºC for 3.5 secs
Swine Vesicular Disease
Inactivated by 56ºC for 1 hour
Extrapolated from research sources, it is likely that all of the exotic notifiable disease viruses
included in the table above will be inactivated by spray drying of blood using inlet temperatures
of above 200ºC and outlet temperatures of above 90ºC for dwell times of 0.41 secs.
Commercial spray drying methods have an inlet temperature of 160ºC -300ºC (minimum contact
time is between 10 to 30 seconds) and an outlet temperature of 70-90º C. Thermal inactivation
as well as other physical factors such as pressure and desiccation may contribute to virus
inactivation.
Fishmeal
Fishmeal is the most commonly used restricted protein in non-ruminant feed. It is more
commonly used in a dry form, but ‘wet’ products are also produced. The product is also a
processed animal protein.
Article 11 of the Control Regulations prohibits the feeding of farmed fish with processed animal
proteins, such as fishmeal, derived from the bodies of farmed fish of the same species.
It should be clearly indicated, on the packaging or consignment note, the type of fish from which
fishmeal is manufactured.
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Processing plants producing fishmeal or other feed originating from aquatic animals have to
clearly label fishmeal intended for feeding to farmed fish with the following:
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in the case of fishmeal from wild fish, bearing the words ‘contains fishmeal from wild fish
only – may be used for the feeding of farmed fish of all species’;
in the case of fishmeal from farmed fish, bearing the words ‘contains fishmeal from
farmed fish of the [...] species only – may only be used for the feeding of farmed fish of
other fish species’;
in the case of fishmeal from wild fish and from farmed fish, bearing the words ‘contains
fishmeal from wild fish and farmed fish of the [...] species – may only be used for the
feeding of farmed fish of other fish species.
Dicalcium and tricalcium phosphate of animal origin
Dicalcium and tricalcium phosphate are commonly used as minerals in farm animal feed, but
most (if not all) of the material used in NI is of rock origin and does not originate from animal
tissues. There are labelling requirements, which apply under the TSE Regulations, to the use in
farm animal feed, of material of animal origin.
For any businesses wanting to manufacture dicalcium and tricalcium phosphate from ABPs for
use in non-ruminant feed the specific requirements:
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which apply to the sourcing of material for use and
to the processing of that material
can be found in Annex X, chapter II, Sections 6 and 7 of the Implementing Regulations.
Gelatine
Gelatine use in farm animal feed is mainly as an ingredient of confectionery and bakery
products. The Feed Ban in the TSE Regulations prevents the use of products containing
ruminant gelatine in all farm animal feed. Feed businesses sourcing confectionery or bakery
products must ensure that suppliers are only sending material containing non ruminant gelatine.
Sourcing and processing standards for non ruminant gelatine can be found in Annex X, chapter
II, Section 5 of the Implementing Regulations.
Collagen
Processed collagen can be used for feeding non-ruminant animals and is used in equine joint
supplements. Sourcing and processing standards for collagen can be found in Annex X, chapter
II, Section 8 of the Implementing Regulations.
Processed fats and fish oil
To be eligible for farm animal feeding the fat or oil must:
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for rendered fats – originate from category 3 animal by-product, but can’t be made from
adipose tissue sourced from aquatic animals, fallen stock animals, carcases which have
failed post mortem inspection or from catering waste
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for fish oils – originate from category 3 animal by-product i.e.:
o
from aquatic animals, and parts of aquatic animals, except sea mammals, which did
not show signs of disease communicable to man or animal
o
ABPs from aquatic animals from human food factories or factory ships or from human
food no longer intended for human consumption.
Fish oil or fats destined for farm animal feeding can have been processed at:
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either an approved ABP processing plant
at a human food factory or factory ship, to defined processing standards applicable in the
Food Hygiene Regulations (EC) No. 853/2004.
Rendered fat and fish oil must not contain animal protein i.e. defined here as animal tissues
must be absent on Microscopic Analysis Testing (MAT). Rendered fats derived from ruminant
animals must be purified in such a way that the maximum level of remaining total soluble
impurities does not exceed 0.15% in weight. For more information see our Use of oils and fats
in farm animal feed guidance.
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