June 10, 2005
EU compound feed output up slightly in 2004
EU-25 compound feed production, excluding Greece, Malta and Luxembourg, reached 142.1 million tonnes in 2004 from 141.5 million tonnes in 2003.
The 10 new EU member states, such as Poland, Hungary and Slovenia, accounted for about 16.5 million tonnes of the 2004 total.
According to European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (FEFAC), pig feed remains the largest category of compound feed produced, remaining little changed at 47.88 million tonnes in 2004 from 2003's 47.93 million.
EU production of poultry feed in 2004 rose to 46.08 million tonnes, an almost 4 percent increase from 44.5 million in 2003, owing to higher poultry production after 2003's bird flu.
Cattle feed production in 2004 totalled 36.5 million tonnes, down about three percent from the previous year's 37.8 million. FEFAC explained that the decline was a consequence of the better grain and pulse harvest in 2004 compared with the period of drought in 2003.
Cattle feed production in 2004 had fallen on average 2 to 7 percent; in contrast poultry feed output was up 1 to 6 percent, with the highest increases in Belgium and Netherlands.
Pig feed production trends across the EU, however, were erratic. The Czech Republic reported a nine percent drop while Italy enjoyed a seven percent increase.
FEFAC expects EU's compound feed production to remain stable this year, although cattle feed production is expected to decrease by 1 percent, reflecting a longstanding downward trend. Pig feed production is expected to remain stable on average.