# Blood meal > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Blood_meal > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Blood_meal.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_meal > Source revision: 1345888003 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Powder made from blood}} {{about|the soil fertilizer|animals that feed on blood|hematophagy}} '''Blood meal''' is a dry, inert powder made from [blood](/source/blood), used as a high-[nitrogen](/source/nitrogen) [organic fertilizer](/source/organic_fertilizer) and a high [protein](/source/protein) animal feed. By weight, it is generally 12% nitrogen with trace amounts (≤1%) of [phosphorus](/source/phosphorus) and [potassium](/source/potassium).{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=Megan |url=https://www.bhg.com/gardening/yard/garden-care/whats-the-difference-between-blood-meal-and-bonemeal-and-can-i-use-them-together/ |website=Better Homes & Gardens |title=What to Know About Blood Meal vs. Bone Meal for Fertilizing Plants |access-date=6 June 2025 |date=30 April 2024 }} It is one of the highest non-synthetic sources of nitrogen. It usually comes from [cattle](/source/cattle) or [hogs](/source/pig) as a [slaughterhouse](/source/slaughterhouse) [by-product](/source/by-product). == Uses == === Dietary supplement === Blood meal can be used as a [livestock](/source/livestock) [dietary supplement](/source/dietary_supplement) and is mainly added to supply dietary [lysine](/source/lysine) for cattle, fish and poultry.{{cite book |first1=William Arnon |last1=Henry |first2=Frank Barron |last2=Morrison |year=1915 |title=Feeds and feeding: a hand-book for the student and stockman |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_SVgaAAAAIAAJ |publisher=Henry-Morrison |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_SVgaAAAAIAAJ/page/n146 184]}} Prior to use, it is sometimes mixed with [molasses](/source/molasses).{{cite journal |pmid=9719848 |year=1998 |last1=King'ori |first1=A. M. |last2=Tuitoek |first2=J. K. |last3=Muiruri |first3=H. K. |title=Comparison of fermented dried blood meal and cooked dried blood meal as protein supplements for growing pigs. |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=191–196 |journal=Tropical Animal Health and Production|doi=10.1023/a:1005015804804 |s2cid=28241258 }} Feeding blood products to [ruminant](/source/ruminant)s (such as cattle and sheep) is illegal in the United Kingdom{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supplying-and-using-animal-by-products-as-farm-animal-feed |title=Guidance: Supplying and using animal by-products as farm animal feed |author1=[Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs](/source/Department_for_Environment%2C_Food_%26_Rural_Affairs) |author2=[Animal and Plant Health Agency](/source/Animal_and_Plant_Health_Agency) |website=[GOV.UK](/source/GOV.UK) |date=14 January 2019 |access-date=24 December 2025 |quote=You can only feed these ABPs to non-ruminants (animals that do not chew the cud): ... blood products}} and European Union,{{cite web |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2001/999/oj/eng |title=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 |website=[EUR-Lex](/source/EUR-Lex) |date=12 March 2025 |access-date=24 December 2025}} in part due to the risk posed by [transmissible spongiform encephalopathies](/source/Transmissible_spongiform_encephalopathy). === Organic fertilizers === Blood meal, [bone meal](/source/bone_meal), and other animal by-products are permitted in [certified organic](/source/certified_organic) production as soil amendments, though they cannot be fed to organic livestock. Blood meal is different from [bone meal](/source/bone_meal) in that blood meal contains a higher amount of nitrogen, while bone meal contains phosphorus. Alternatives to blood meal include [feather meal](/source/feather_meal) and alfalfa meal.{{cite web |title=Using Blood Meal To Improve Your Garden Soil|url=https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/organic/blood-meal-fertilizer.htm}} Blood meal is sometimes used as a [composting](/source/composting) activator.{{Cite web |url=https://web.extension.illinois.edu/homecompost/materials.cfm |website=University of Illinois Extension |title=Composting For The Home Owner - Materials |access-date=2 September 2016 |archive-date=3 September 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160903132341/https://web.extension.illinois.edu/homecompost/materials.cfm }} === Pest control === Blood meal can be spread on gardens to deter pest animals such as [rabbit](/source/rabbit)s. The theory is that the animals smell the blood and are repelled by the odor.{{cite book |first1=Fern Marshall |last1=Bradley |first2=Barbara W. |last2=Ellis |year=1997 |title=Review: Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Resource for Every Gardener |publisher=Rodale Press |isbn=978-0-87596-743-1 |page=11}}{{cite book |first1=Leandre |last1=Poisson |first2=Gretchen |last2=Vogel Poisson |year=1994 |title=Solar gardening: growing vegetables year-round the American intensive way |url=https://archive.org/details/solargardeninggr0000pois |url-access=registration |publisher=Chelsea Green Publishing |isbn=978-0-930031-69-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/solargardeninggr0000pois/page/103 103]}} ==Classifications== {{unreferenced section|date=December 2025}} *It is a proteinaceous concentrate according to classifications of feed. *It is a protein-yielding feedstuff according to classifications of feedstuffs. == Processing == Blood needs to be dried before being used as blood meal. Several drying methods are available: solar drying, oven drying, drum drying, flash drying or spray drying.Heuzé V., Tran G., 2016. Blood meal. Feedipedia, a programme by INRA, CIRAD, AFZ and FAO. https://www.feedipedia.org/node/221 Last updated on March 31, 2016, 10:31 Blood meal is sometimes made from fish (this type of blood meal is categorized as a type of [fish meal](/source/fish_meal)), mixed with bone meal (often branded as bone + blood meal), and other types. These types depend on the source and processing of the blood meal. ==See also== * [Blood as food](/source/Blood_as_food) * [Bone ash](/source/Bone_ash) * [Bone meal](/source/Bone_meal) * {{section link |Hydroponics#Organic hydroponic solutions}} * [Taboo food](/source/Taboo_food) == References == {{reflist}} Category:Soil improvers Category:Organic fertilizers Category:Animal products Category:By-products --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Blood meal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_meal) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_meal?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.