May 7, 2008

EU allows fishmeal in milk replacers

The EU's Scientific Committee has approved the motion to allow fishmeal back into milk replacers for young ruminants.

The European Commission proposed the move. Allowing fishmeal is the first step towards lifting the ban on feeding animal proteins to mammals.

The next step, which is permitting meat meal into animal feed, depends on the speed of development and availability of animal-specific tests that can be used in practice.

The tests are needed to be able to assure the non-cannibalism principle.

For ruminants, the ban on meat and bone meal is maintained due to the risk of BSE.