EU lifts ban on animal by-products in pig feed

The EU has lifted its ban on the use of animal by-products as animal feed. The proposed change in legislation allows the use of processed animal protein (PAP) from pigs in poultry feed and from poultry in pig feed. While most EU member states approved the change, France and Ireland abstained. On July 2, the Council of the EU voted unanimously for the adoption of the TSE regulation

Following an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in 1994, the use of processed animal proteins (PAP) in ruminant feed was banned. Experts believe that TSB is caused by feeding cattle feed made from the MEAT and bone meal of infected animals. In an attempt to avoid possible cross-contamination, the PAP ban was extended to all farm animals in 2001.

The reason for the lifting of the ban is twofold. First, the European Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy encourages the use of by-products in the food industry and the use of organic and local ingredients.

“Pap meets these requirements,” says Karin van Vuure, Nutrition and Regulatory Manager at Darling Ingredients, a member of the European Fat Processors and Processors Association (EFPRA).

In addition, the risk of cross-contamination appears to be low. The last case of TSB in cattle in the EU was in 2016 and the last case in the UK was in 2018. A total of 24 out of 27 Member States were classified as having a negligible risk status.

The benefits of lifting the ban are numerous, says Van Vuure. Poultry slaughterhouses have more opportunities to use by-products from their slaughter, especially those that are not used in pet food. Such foods include bird blood meal, feather meal, and low protein foods.

In addition to reducing waste and dependence on imported protein, the use of processed animal products in feed can also improve feed quality, since the digestibility of this type of protein and phosphorus is high. Depending on the requirements set in the process chain, poultry and pig feed could also become cheaper, she added. In addition, the carbon footprint of the diet will be improved. “Many farmers remember the time before the ban as a time with a more balanced diet due to the use of animal proteins,” says Van Vuure.

The change has been welcomed by the Farming Associations: Copa-Cogeca and the Association of Poultry Processors and the Poultry Trade (AVEC). The EU proposal recognizes the absence of a food safety risk in its authorization of these products and proposes a legislative framework that ensures a high level of safety for all participants in the supply chain, says Paul-Henri Lava, senior policy adviser at AVEC.

AVEC welcomes the opportunity to diversify its feed supply by using processed porcine animal proteins, says Lava, and expects poultry farms to become a similar source of protein for the pig sector.

Demand for protein-rich feed

Demand for protein-rich feed is currently high in the EU. Driven by globalization and climate change, Lava believes this trend will continue into the future. “Offering solutions to source protein feed from EU sources is a step in the right direction,” Lava explains. "The EU authorities must go further in this direction."

Processed animal proteins are produced from Category III animal by-products from healthy animals fit for human consumption at the time of slaughter. In the 20 years since the ban was introduced, researchers have developed a PCR test that ensures papillomaviruses do not contain by-products.

“Because there is a cross-species ban in Europe, there are also trials in pigs and poultry,” says Van Vuure.

More research needed for PAP

Much has changed since papillomaviruses were first banned 20 years ago. For example, data processing technologies have evolved and improved. Some research has been done on the nutritional benefits of porcine papillomas used in poultry feed. In a recently published white paper, Van Vuure outlines some of the results.

Working in collaboration with EFPRA, Wageningen Animal Research conducted a study in 2010 to evaluate the nutritional and digestibility of PAP, as well as the overall performance of laying hens that were fed. A 2010 study evaluated 4 types of papillomas in feed: 40%, 50%, 58%, and 60% protein in the diet.

The layer performance varied between treatments. The most favorable of the four was PAP-50% and the least favorable was PAP-40%. Differences in performance appear to be due in part to differences in feed intake and corresponding amino acid intake.

While PAP supplementation did not generally reduce feather pecking behavior, PAP-40 and PAP-50 diets in chickens were observed to delay the development of feather damage. At the same time, compared to herds fed higher PAP diets, those fed PAP-40 and PAP-50 diets showed improved litter condition, feeding and walking behavior, and floor pecking.

Digestibility and overall performance

A 2018 study assessed digestibility and overall performance when 2 types of porcine PAP were included in the diet of broilers to replace soybean meal. The researchers assessed gut HEALTH, bedding quality, pad damage, and bone quality. The results of the study show that both types of tested PAP can be used as suitable substitutes for soybean meal in broiler diets without affecting performance results. The performance study was followed by an digestibility study.

However, in reality, two studies are not enough to draw definitive conclusions. “As a nutritionist and scientist, I think we need to do more research,” Van Vuur says. The ban is expected to be lifted in October this year.