Industrial Compound Feed Product
The majority of Belgian compound feed manufacturers are united in Bemefa. All members report their feed sales to this organisation. They represent 93% of total compound feed production. In 2007 Belgium feed millers manufactured 5.806 million tonnes of compound feed.
Annual production of compound feed added up to 5.806 million tonnes in 2007.
This is 2.62% less than in 2006 and was almost completely caused by a decline in
the sale of poultry feed. According to Bemefa Belgian feed makers exported
762,000 tonnes of feed (mainly to France) in 2006 and imported 1,066,000 tonnes
of feed. With 683,000 tonnes the Netherlands is the largest supplier to Belgian
farmers, followed by France with 275,000 tonnes.
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Source: Fefac |
Cattle feed shows relatively stable figures. Production peaked in 2004 with
1.141 million tonnes and since then averages just below 1.1 million tonnes of
which 45% is fed to dairy cows and 31% to beef cattle and the remaining
percentages to calves.
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Source: Fefac |
Pig feed takes the largest portion of Belgium feed manufacturing. They
manufactured 3.349 million tonnes in 2007. Of this volume 22% contains of piglet
feeds. A mere 6,700 tonnes of pig feed was exported. Pig feed shows a steady
decline in production. Production peaked in 2000 and since then has been on the
decline, mainly due better feed conversions and fewer pigs.
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Source: Fefac |
With a production of almost 1.141 million tonnes Belgium is not a major
poultry feed producer. A little over 41% of poultry feed production is fed to
broilers and 31% to laying hens. The remaining share is going to rearing birds,
ducks, quail and some other minor species like (meat) pigeons. About 114,000
tonnes of poultry feed is exported (10%).
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Source: Fefac |
Belgium has quite a large veal calf industry and was in the past often in the
news because of the use of illegal growth promoting products in this sector.
Bemefa totally disapproves the use of these products and also expresses this
opinion in press releases when an incident comes out. In 2007 production of milk
replacers almost doubled compared to the previous years and now exceeds 2005
figures.
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Source: Fefac |
Horses are the other main farm animals that take a significant share of feed
production. Almost 120,000 tonnes of feeds for other farm animals were
manufactured of which horse feeds take a 69% share. There are about 65
manufacturers that make feeds for hobby animals and the majority (>50) has an
annual production of less than 50,000 tonnes.
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Source: Fefac |
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