EU may lift byproduct ban for poultry, pig feed

The EU may lift its animal byproduct ban for poultry and pig feed in the hopes of lowering costs, according to reports. The ban was initially imposed during a mad cow disease outbreak over ten years ago; its retraction would come with stricter safety rules imposed to prevent things such as cannibalism through the feed given to animals.
The cost to industry of implementing the new rules as well as consumer wariness of the risk of another mad cow-type outbreak are two factors still being considered. "We are currently discussing with member states the potential re-authorization of processed animal proteins in feed for poultry and pigs from 2014," said a spokesman for Tonio Borg, the EU's health and consumer policy commissioner.
In Europe, processed animal proteins can currently be used in pet food. As of June they will also be allowed in EU fish feed. The next planned step would be to allow them in poultry and pig feed, which would bring Europe back in line with many other countries, including the U.S., China, Thailand and Australia. The proteins would stay banned in the EU's ruminant sector, which includes cattle and sheep and was most closely linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease).
The EU hopes lifting the ban would ease a shortage of cheaper domestically produced protein. In 2011, the EU used around 49.9 million metric tons of protein source in feed but only half of it came from Europe. The rest was imported, with soymeal accounting for 80 percent of those imports, and soymeal prices doubled over a few months in 2012 due to the significant U.S. drought.

Meat, feather rendering plant coming to Italy

Danish supplier of drying and evaporation equipment Haarslev Industries' role in converting animal byproducts into proteins and fats has landed the company the order for a new green field rendering plant in Italy. The order has been placed by the Amadori Group, and will be built near the company's headquarter in Cesena, Italy.
The plant will consist of two continuous rendering lines — one for meat by-products and the other for processing feathers. The two lines will be built using the latest technology in process control and energy conservation, according to the company. Plant installation and start-up will take place during the second quarter of 2013.
"The order is very important for Haarslev Industries, as it confirms the company's position as the most important rendering equipment supplier to the Italian market," said Haarslev sales director Henning Haugaard. "The relationship between Haarslev Industries and Amadori is new, but one that both companies will benefit from long term."

Russia poultry, pig meat output up in February

Russia's poultry and poultry byproduct output increased by 25 percent in February compared to 2011 numbers, reaching 268,000 metric tons, according to the country's Federal State Statistics Service.
Poultry and cattle in live weight increased by 9.8 percent, to 800,000 metric tons. Pig meat production also rose significantly, by 21 percent, to 70,700 metric tons. This number contributed to an overall meat production, excluding poultry, of 97,900 metric tons, an increase of 13 percent over February 2011 numbers.

Company to turn poultry fat into fuel

Elevance Renewable Sciences, based in Bolingbrook, Ill., plans to convert poultry fat into jet fuel at an Iowa biofuels plant, reports the Associated Press.
The $15M facility could be approved by local government officials by the end of January 2010, according to K'Lynne Johnson, Elevance's chief executive. The company has received $2.5M from the U.S. Department of Energy for the plant.
Johnson said that poultry fat will contribute to a quarter of production in the first year, with the rest coming from plant oils. The converted fat could be used as a petroleum chemical substitute in jet fuel, lubricants and consumer products, such as cosmetics.
Johnson said the 1.4 billion pounds of poultry fat produced annually in the United States could be converted into 250 million gallons of petroleum replacement products, such as diesel and jet fuel. That’s equivalent to about a gallon of fuel for every 50 chickens.
Lucy Norton, managing director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, told the Associated Press that the Elevance facility would be the first biofuels plant in Iowa to make jet fuel from animal fat.

Registration is open for Poultry & Fat Seminar

The 2009 Poultry & Fat Seminar, sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association's Poultry Protein & Fat Council, will be held October 8-9 at the Marriott Downtown in Atlanta, Ga.
The seminar will focus on the latest poultry production technology and managing techniques in converting poultry byproducts into valuable feed products.
Other topics include: the future of rendering, safety in rendering plants, a CEO's perspective on the importance of rendering, and plant operation management systems.
To register for the Poultry Protein & Fat Seminar, go to www.poultryegg.org.