Vol. 477 No. 1
52 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the names of feed compounders found to have meat and bonemeal included in bovine rations; the way bovine rations can be unambiguously distinguished from pig and poultry feeds; the types of rations in which meal and bonemeal can be incorporated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8402/97]
The inclusion of ruminant meat and bonemeal in animal feed destined for ruminant animals has been prohibited in Ireland since 1990. The testing for the presence of such meat and bonemeal in ruminant diets is carried out by my Department by use of the microscopy test which is the most sensitive test available. Because of the very minute nature of the fragments of bone detected by this method, it cannot distinguish between poultry bone, which poses no risk as far as BSE is concerned, and animal bone. Accordingly, where a sample tests positive for bone fragments, it is not evidence of breach of the prohibition already referred to. As a result, I do not propose to release the names of the feed compounders in whose premises positive samples have been found.
As far as the distinction between poultry and mammalian bone is concerned, the result levels have been suggestive of a level of incorporation of 0.0075 per cent or lower of either poultry or animal bone and in no case has evidence of deliberate incorporation been found. Trials carried out by my Department on the ELISA test which can distinguish between poultry and animal bone have shown that an incorporation rate in excess of 1 per cent is required before a satisfactory result is achieved. Mammalian meat and bonemeal can be incorporated into any animal feed other than those destined for ruminant animals. Poultry offal can be incorporated into any feed ration. To ensure any cross-contamination suggested by the test results found by my Department did not continue in animal feed mills, I made an order effective from last October which, inter alia, limited the use of mammalian meat and bonemeal to those feed mills dedicated to the manufacture of animal feeds for non-ruminants. I subsequently made a further order in February 1997 which requires a licence for the use of poultry offal as an animal feed ingredient. I am satisfied the effect of these two orders has been to eliminate the risk of contamination of ruminant feeds by mammalian meat and bonemeal.
