Meat and bone meal

<h2 id="history">History</h2>

In the UK, after the 1987 discovery that BSE could cause <a href="/facts/VCJD/cKM3UPJw">vCJD</a>, the original feed ban was introduced in 1988 to prevent <a href="/facts/Ruminant/tTcBMxk4">ruminant</a> protein being fed to ruminants. In addition, it has been illegal to feed ruminants with all forms of <a href="/facts/Mammal/phSwTzBo">mammalian</a> protein (with specific exceptions) since November 1994 and to feed any farmed livestock, including fish and horses, with mammalian meat and bone meal (mammalian MBM) since 4 April 1996. Regulation (EC) No.999/2001 introduced EU-wide regulations,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3">3</a> which relaxed UK controls.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4">4</a>
In 2000, UK supermarket chain <a href="/facts/Co-op_Food/8o1azjAx">Co-op Food</a> was still calling for "a legally-binding Europe-wide ban on the feeding of animal waste to farm animals". They opined that the practice was tantamount to <a href="/facts/Cannibalism/eKhe7wT9">cannibalism</a>. According to the <a href="/facts/BBC/qFateIz8">BBC</a> at the time there was no ban on the use in <a href="/facts/Livestock_feed/b4Hw0Lq0">livestock feed</a> of animal blood, <a href="/facts/Tallow/JNWsebPc">tallow</a>, poultry offal and <a href="/facts/Feather_meal/3RQzawaz">feather meal</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5">5</a>

<h3>European categories</h3>
In Europe (before the 2002 EU Regulation), animal by-products were classified into two categories: "high risk" or "low risk" products. Since 2002, "processed animal protein" (PAP) and other <a href="/facts/Animal_by-products/AFHGIGk8">animal by-products</a>, authorized or not for various uses, are categorized into three categories (by the European Regulation 2002) according to their supposed or demonstrated level of <a href="/facts/Health_risk_assessment/5ynTjSMI">health risk</a>.

<ol><li>Category 1 material – those that pose a prion infection risk to humans, including "SRM" ("<a href="/facts/Specified_risk_material/nQ0A7sB2">specified risk material</a>") and animals suspected or declared to be infected with <a href="/facts/Prions/UJfG9EfS">prions</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a> This category also contains products contaminated by certain banned substances (<a href="/facts/Hormone/WFnBnINJ">hormones</a>) or dangerous for the environment (<a href="/facts/Dioxins_and_dioxin-like_compounds/s809KmpN">dioxins and dioxin-like compounds</a>).</li>
<li>Category 2 materials – associated with health risks other than prions or banned chemicals. Also includes foodstuffs seized for sanitary reasons and corpses of animals who died by other means than by being slaughtered, as well as products contaminated with residues of veterinary drugs.</li>
<li>Category 3 material – from animals considered healthy and without specific risks, that is to say the carcasses have been declared fit for human consumption after health inspection. Only products in this category are allowed for the production of flours for animal feed (including pets).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a></li></ol>
<h2 id="detection">Detection</h2>

A minimum of 500g is required to test samples of solid or liquid material at the Irish Equine Centre, an independent not-for-profit organisation. Tests are by <a href="/facts/Light_microscopy/GpHlElDS">light microscopy</a> and using <a href="/facts/Real-time_polymerase_chain_reaction/jYLeLlQM">real-time PCR</a> for ruminant DNA. The presence of MBM and fish products in feed can be tested by light microscopy in two days. The presence of ruminant DNA in feed by real-time PCR can be detected by this lab in 48 to 72 hours.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a>

<h2 id="uses">Uses</h2>
Besides use as animal feed, MBM also finds use in various areas of industry.

<ul><li>Fuel – MBM is considered a renewable and even <a href="/facts/Carbon-neutral/llsAknfI">carbon-neutral</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a> source of fuel in power generation and <a href="/facts/Cement_kiln/5wd17AoF">cement kilns</a>. Combustion destroys pathogens and pollutants.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a> MBM has around two thirds the <a href="/facts/Heat_value/HdQX0mPP">heat value</a> of coal;<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a> the UK in particular widely uses meat and bone meal for the generation of renewable electricity.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a> This was particularly prominent after many cattle were slaughtered during the <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom_BSE_outbreak/khn8erb2">BSE crisis</a>.</li>
<li>Fertilizer – MBM is used as a fertilizer. It is similar to <a href="/facts/Bone_meal/uWRHeAph">bone meal</a> in that it supplies calcium and phosphorus, but the meat component also provides a significant amount of nitrogen.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a> For growing human food, the material must meet sanitary requirements to avoid spreading diseases or contaminants.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14">14</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="similar-products">Similar products</h2>
<ul><li>Meat meal – obtained by cooking, defatting, sterilizing, grinding, and sifting by-products of terrestrial animals. This denomination includes both meat and bone meal (MBM) and meat meal in the strict sense, less rich in minerals than MBM; it is often referred to as "processed animal protein".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15">15</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Bone_meal/uWRHeAph">Bone meal</a> – produced from bones (of terrestrial animals) of second quality. The other bones can be used beforehand for the manufacture of <a href="/facts/Gelatin/RDeVU6HT">gelatin</a> and/or treated to produce <a href="/facts/Dicalcium_phosphate/0e5ek9b5">dicalcium phosphate</a> or <a href="/facts/Ossein/6wgRvpms">ossein</a> powder; the meal is produced by heating, defatting, drying, grinding and sieving the bones of terrestrial animals.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16">16</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17">17</a></li>
<li>Meal from <a href="/facts/Skin_appendage/XAoxW5q4">skin appendages</a> – <a href="/facts/Horn_(anatomy)/gr4cBp62">horns</a>, <a href="/facts/Hoof/akrIlYRN">hooves</a> and <a href="/facts/Nail_(anatomy)/s3GJf9R2">nails</a> (around 55,700 tons per year in France<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18">18</a>) are used for example in agricultural or garden fertilizers for their sulfur, nitrogen and phosphorus contents, or used in the composition of meat meal.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Blood_meal/WxzVt3Fd">Blood meal</a> – fresh and whole blood collected from slaughterhouses, coagulated and steam dried now often referred to as "animal protein transformed from blood".</li>
<li>Feather meal – fresh feathers from slaughterhouses, treated by thermal <a href="/facts/Hydrolysis/JTvwIHPs">hydrolysis</a> (chemical decomposition in the presence of pressurized water), dried and crushed.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Fish_meal/1quwIVvE">Fishmeal</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Glanford_Power_Station/cEnzQAPy">Glanford Power Station</a></li></ul>

<ul><li>Adedokun, S. A.; Adeola, L. (2005). "Metabolizable energy value of meat and bone meal for pigs". J. Anim. Sci. 83 (11): 2519–2526. <a href="/facts/Doi_(identifier)/muM9Etpq">doi</a>:<a href="https://doi.org/10.2527%2F2005.83112519x">10.2527/2005.83112519x</a>. <a href="/facts/PMID_(identifier)/JlHAvMHt">PMID</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16230648">16230648</a>.</li>
<li>Fernando, T. (1992). Blood meal, meat and bone meal and tallow. In Inedible meat by-products. Essex, England: Elsevier Science. pp. 81–112.</li>
<li>Hendriks, W. H.; C. A. Butts; D. V. Thomas; K. A. C. James; P. C. A. Morel; M. W. A. Verstegen (2002). <a href="https://doi.org/10.5713%2Fajas.2002.1507">"Nutritional quality and variation of meat and bone meal"</a>. Asian Austral. J. Anim. 15 (10): 1507–1516. <a href="/facts/Doi_(identifier)/muM9Etpq">doi</a>:<a href="https://doi.org/10.5713%2Fajas.2002.1507">10.5713/ajas.2002.1507</a>.</li>
<li>Pearl, G. G. (2004). "Meat and bone meal usage in modern swine diets". Render. 33 (2): 50–53, 57.</li>
<li>Taylor, D. M.; Woodgate, S. L. (2003). <a href="https://doi.org/10.20506%2Frst.22.1.1400">"Rendering practices and inactivation of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy agents"</a>. Rev. Sci. Tech. 22 (1): 297–310. <a href="/facts/Doi_(identifier)/muM9Etpq">doi</a>:<a href="https://doi.org/10.20506%2Frst.22.1.1400">10.20506/rst.22.1.1400</a>. <a href="/facts/PMID_(identifier)/JlHAvMHt">PMID</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12793787">12793787</a>.</li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="http://www.pdm-group.co.uk/renewable_energy/energy_generation.html">PDM Group</a> Information on the use of meat and bone meal for renewable power generation.</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">"Dog Foods | Dry, Wet Dog Food and Dog Treats". Pedigree. Retrieved 2020-01-17. <a href="http://www.pedigree.com/really-good-food/product-page.aspx?id=1058&prevPage=adult" target="_blank">http://www.pedigree.com/really-good-food/product-page.aspx?id=1058&prevPage=adult</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">MacConnell, Sean (18 March 2005). "Bonemeal to be used again in pet food". Irish Times. Retrieved 23 July 2020. <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/news/bonemeal-to-be-used-again-in-pet-food-1.424220" target="_blank">https://www.irishtimes.com/news/bonemeal-to-be-used-again-in-pet-food-1.424220</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">"Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies". EUROPA EUR-Lex (Document 32001R0999). Retrieved 25 July 2019. <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32001R0999" target="_blank">https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32001R0999</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">"Diseases - Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy - Feed Controls". This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v1.0. © Crown copyright. <a href="https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/farmingrural/Agriculture/animal-welfare/Diseases/disease/bse/Feed" target="_blank">https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/farmingrural/Agriculture/animal-welfare/Diseases/disease/bse/Feed</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">"'Two CJD victims in same street'". bbc.co.uk. 31 October 2000. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/999773.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/999773.stm</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">Encéphalopathies spongiformes transmissibles (parfois dénommées Encéphalopathies spongiformes subaiguës Transmissibles ou ESST); famille de maladies neurodégénératives des animaux incluant notamment l'ESB et la tremblante <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">SIFCO (Syndicat des Industries Françaises des Coproduits animaux; Syndicat interprofessionnel regroupant les transformateurs de coproduits animaux en protéines et graisses animales), Lexique [archive] <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">"Meat and Bone Meal Analysis". Irish Equine Centre. <a href="http://www.irishequinecentre.ie/Test/findTest?testName=Meat%20and%20Bone%20Meal%20Analysis" target="_blank">http://www.irishequinecentre.ie/Test/findTest?testName=Meat%20and%20Bone%20Meal%20Analysis</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">Ariyaratne, W.K.H.; Melaaen, M.C.; Eine, K.; Tokheim, L.A. (May 2011). "Meat and bone meal as a renewable energy source in cement kilns: investigation of optimum feeding rate". Renewable Energy and Power Quality Journal. 9: 1244–1249. doi:10.24084/repqj09.609. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262609648" target="_blank">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262609648</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">"The many uses of meat and bone meal". Alfred H Knight Energy Services. 24 March 2021. <a href="https://www.ahkgroup.com/the-many-uses-of-meat-and-bone-meal/" target="_blank">https://www.ahkgroup.com/the-many-uses-of-meat-and-bone-meal/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">Ariyaratne, W.K.H.; Melaaen, M.C.; Eine, K.; Tokheim, L.A. (May 2011). "Meat and bone meal as a renewable energy source in cement kilns: investigation of optimum feeding rate". Renewable Energy and Power Quality Journal. 9: 1244–1249. doi:10.24084/repqj09.609. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262609648" target="_blank">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262609648</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">Houlton, Sam (2021-03-24). "The many uses of meat and bone meal". AHK. Retrieved 2025-06-24. <a href="https://www.ahkgroup.com/the-many-uses-of-meat-and-bone-meal/" target="_blank">https://www.ahkgroup.com/the-many-uses-of-meat-and-bone-meal/</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">Chen, L.; J. Helenius; A. Kangus (2009). "NJF Seminar 422: Meat bone meal as nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer (abstract)" (PDF). Nordic Association of Agricultural Scientists. 5 (2): 26. Retrieved 23 November 2012. <a href="http://orgprints.org/16174/1/fostering.pdf" target="_blank">http://orgprints.org/16174/1/fostering.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">"The many uses of meat and bone meal". Alfred H Knight Energy Services. 24 March 2021. <a href="https://www.ahkgroup.com/the-many-uses-of-meat-and-bone-meal/" target="_blank">https://www.ahkgroup.com/the-many-uses-of-meat-and-bone-meal/</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:15">SIFCO (Syndicat des Industries Françaises des Coproduits animaux; Syndicat interprofessionnel regroupant les transformateurs de coproduits animaux en protéines et graisses animales), Lexique [archive] <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:16">SIFCO (Syndicat des Industries Françaises des Coproduits animaux; Syndicat interprofessionnel regroupant les transformateurs de coproduits animaux en protéines et graisses animales), Lexique [archive] <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:17">Les farines de viandes osseuses (FVO) et les concentrés protéiques carnés (CPC) [archive], École nationale vétérinaire de Lyon <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:18">Sénat, Projet de loi relatif à la collecte et à l'élimination des cadavres d'animaux et des déchets d'abattoirs et modifiant le code rural [archive]; Travaux parlementaires > Rapports > Rapports législatifs, consulté 2013-09-09 <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Meat and bone meal open-in-new

Meat and bone meal