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Certain Animal Proteins Prohibited from Ruminant Feed
Dairy Pipeline: September 1997
by
Charles C. Stallings
Extension Dairy Scientist, Nutrition
Virginia Tech
FDA has passed a ruling that prohibits certain animal proteins from being fed to ruminants. This is an effort to prevent BSE or mad cow disease from occurring in this country. The prohibition is on protein derived from mammalian tissues and generally is for meat and bone meal from cattle rendering. It does not prohibit protein from swine, poultry, marine (fish), or vegetable sources from being fed to cattle. In addition blood products (blood meal), milk products (milk protein in milk replacers), and tallow, fats, or oils are not prohibited. The FDA ruling requires all size operations feeding animals (even one animal) to maintain copies for 1 year of all purchase invoices of all feeds containing animal proteins. Any feed from a feed manufacturer that contains a prohibited protein source should have it labeled, "Do not feed to cattle or other ruminants". Good record keeping will prevent problems from occurring.