Blood meal

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Blood meal is a dry, inert powder made from blood, used as a high-nitrogen organic fertilizer and a high protein animal feed. By weight, it is generally 12% nitrogen with trace amounts (≤1%) of phosphorus and 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 or hogs as a slaughterhouse by-product.

Uses

= Dietary supplement =

Blood meal can be used as a livestock dietary supplement and is mainly added to supply dietary 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.{{cite journal |pmid=9719848 |year=1998 |last1=King'ori |first1=AM |last2=Tuitoek |first2=JK |last3=Muiruri |first3=HK |title=Comparison of fermented dried blood meal and cooked dried blood meal as protein supplements for growing pigs. |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=191–6 |journal=Tropical Animal Health and Production|doi=10.1023/a:1005015804804 |s2cid=28241258 }}

= Organic fertilizers =

Blood meal, bone meal, and other animal by-products are permitted in certified organic production as soil amendments, though they cannot be fed to organic livestock. Blood meal is different from bone meal in that blood meal contains a higher amount of nitrogen, while bone meal contains phosphorus. Alternatives to Blood Meal include feather meal and alfalfa meal.{{cite web |title=Using Blood Meal To Improve Your Garden Soil|url=http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/organic/blood-meal-fertilizer.htm}} Blood meal is sometimes used as a 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 rabbits. 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

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

References

Category:Soil improvers

Category:Organic fertilizers

Category:Animal products