About the industry
The specialty feed ingredients industry is a knowledge-driven, reliable partner of a competitive livestock sector. Active in every EU Member State, it is composed of hundreds of companies, from multinationals to SMEs, having their production, premixture and distribution sites located all over Europe.
- Our industry
- About the industry
Specialty feed ingredients are either incorporated into feedstuffs for farm animals, with a large part entering the food chain, or are incorporated into pet food. These ingredients are intentionally added in small quantities to feed in order to exert specific functions (e.g. nutrition, flavouring, preservation – learn more).
Where we are active
Glossary
Feed additives
Substances, micro-organisms or preparations which are intentionally added to feed or water in order to perform one or more of the functions described in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 on additives for use in animal nutrition
Functional feed ingredients
Functional feed ingredients are feed materials as defined in Regulation (EC) No 767/2009, which, are used in feed or water for drinking in order to perform one of the following functions: micronutrition, technological, sensory, zootechnical.
Premixtures
Premixtures are mixtures of feed additives or mixtures of one or more feed additives with feed materials or water used as carriers, not intended for direct feeding to animals.
Specialty mixtures
Specialty mixtures are compound feed composed of a mixture of functional feed ingredients containing or not feed additive(s).
Feed materials
As defined in Regulation (EC) No 767/2009, feed materials are products of vegetable or animal origin, whose principal purpose is to meet animals’ nutritional needs, in their natural state, fresh or preserved, and products derived from the industrial processing thereof, and organic or inorganic substances, whether or not containing feed additives, which are intended for use in oral animal-feeding either directly as such, or after processing, or in the preparation of compound feed, or as carrier of premixtures.
Compound feed
A mixture of at least two feed materials, whether or not containing feed additives, for oral animal-feeding in the form of complete or complementary feed as defined in Regulation (EC) No 767/2009.
Learn more
Feed material consumption by the compound feed industry in 2015 in the EU-28
What the specialty feed industry offers today
How the specialty feed industry can shape the future
- Innovative nutritional management techniques and improved feed technology
- Proximity and services
- Adaptation to market changes
- Anticipation of market demand
- Feeding management approaches
- Feed additives to supplement feeds with essential micro-ingredients for animal well-being and improved efficiency
- Establishing closer links to suppliers to optimise the safety, sustainability and nutritional value of feed ingredients
- Increasing the use of co-products from other industries and former foodstuffs
- Integrating animal production sustainability parameters in formulations
- Adapting techniques to check the integrity of deliveries
- Developing customised feeding strategies; taking into account the variability and availability of feed ingredients and animal living conditions on farms
Benefits of specialty feed ingredients
Contributing to the nutritious quality of the final animal products
Meeting the nutritional needs of animals and contributing to good animal digestion
Facilitating and supporting the reduction of discards and environmental preservation
Facilitating the formulation and manufacture of feed
Facilitating the Preserving the quality of feed
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