Products which originate from terrestrial animals are not approved as feedstuffs for ruminants in Germany since March 1994. In consequence of the first BSE-event in Germany (Nov. 24th, 2000) these products as well as fish meal were generally banned as animal feedstuffs (Dec. 2nd, 2000). Since the ban of fish meal was stopped in April 2001 (BMVEL 2001) and feeding to non-ruminants was allowed again it will not be considered in the following chapters.

These changes were the basis for the Society of Nutrition Physiology (GfE) to establish the working group on feed resources at the annual meeting in 2001. It is the major aim of this group to investigate and to evaluate the consequences of the feed ban with special emphasis on availability and economic aspects of alternative feed components. The present paper has to be regarded as the first preliminary report of this group.

Among the products derived from terrestrial animals, animal meal (AM) and bone meal (BM, both together in the following abbreviated as meat and bone meal MBM), together with animal fat were the most important in terms of quantities. They contributed to the supply of pigs and poultry with amino acids, minerals and energy to a different extent. In this paper it is quantified to what extent MBM could potentially be used in pig and poultry feeding. The paper also deals with the alternatives and the consequences of the ban. In particular it focuses (i.) on the amounts of alternatives that are needed, (ii.) how the nutrient and energy cycles are affected and (iii.) the consequences of alternative use for burning on gaseous emissions.

The_ban_of_by-products [PDF]