In the animal feed and aquafeed industry, animal protein and mineral sources derived from poultry byproducts are increasingly used thanks to their stable nutritional value and flexibility in feed formulations. However, many businesses still confuse products such as chicken bone meal, poultry meal, and chicken meat & bone meal because of their similar names. Understanding the characteristics of each ingredient helps feed manufacturers select the most suitable raw material for their nutritional and production goals.

1. What is Chicken Bone Meal? 

Chicken bone meal is produced from chicken bones remaining after commercial meat processing. After meat separation, the bones are heat-treated, ground and dried into a fine powder used in animal feed production. Among poultry-derived feed ingredients, chicken bone meal is mainly used as a mineral source, especially for calcium and phosphorus. These nutrients play an important role in skeletal development and nutritional balance for livestock and aquaculture species.

Nutritional value of Chicken bone meal 

Unlike poultry protein meal products that focus on protein content, chicken bone meal contains higher mineral levels and is commonly used to partially replace inorganic mineral sources such as Dicalcium Phosphate (DCP) in feed formulations.

Key characteristics of chicken bone meal include:

• High calcium and phosphorus content

• Supports mineral supplementation in animal feed

• Flexible application in feed formulations

• Used in feed for livestock, poultry and some aquaculture species

During production, the raw material must undergo sufficient heat treatment to ensure biosecurity and reduce microbiological risks.

Chicken bone meal rich in calcium and phosphorus for livestock, poultry and aquafeed applications

2. What is Poultry Meal? 

Poultry meal, also known as poultry by product meal or chicken byproduct meal, is an animal protein ingredient produced from poultry byproducts remaining after the removal of meat for human consumption. The raw material is heat-processed, dried and finely ground to preserve nutritional value and improve storage stability. Compared with chicken bone meal, poultry meal focuses more on protein value and digestibility. It is one of the most widely used animal protein ingredients in aquafeed and animal feed production.

Characteristics of Poultry meal

Poultry meal typically offers :

• High protein content

• Rich essential amino acids

• Excellent digestibility

• Easy integration into feed formulations

Thanks to its stable nutritional value, poultry meal is widely applied in:

• Aquafeed production

• Poultry feed

• Livestock feed

In the aquaculture industry, poultry byproduct meal is highly valued for its flexibility in building efficient animal protein feed formulations suitable for different farming species.

3. What is Chicken Meat & Bone Meal?

Chicken Meat & Bone Meal is produced from both meat and bone portions of poultry after processing. The raw material is heat-treated, ground and dried to a suitable moisture level for storage and feed production. Compared with chicken bone meal and poultry meal, chicken meat & bone meal provides a more balanced combination of protein and minerals.

Nutritional composition of Chicken Meat & Bone Meal

Chicken meat & bone meal commonly provides:

• Protein

• Amino Acid

• Calcium

• Phosphorus

• Energy from natural fat content

Thanks to the combination of meat and bone materials, this ingredient is used in feed formulations for:

• Livestock

• Poultry

• Aquaculture species

Some chicken meat & bone meal products can achieve protein levels around 50% with good digestibility, making them suitable for feed formulations requiring both protein and mineral supplementation.

4. Comparison between Chicken Bone Meal, Poultry Meal, Chicken Meat & Bone Meal 

Although all three ingredients are derived from poultry byproducts, they serve different nutritional purposes in feed production.

The selection of ingredients depends on:

• Nutritional objectives

• Feed formulations

• Animal species

• Feed production cost optimization

• Desired protein and mineral levels

Each ingredient, including poultry meal, chicken bone meal and chicken meat & bone meal, offers valuable nutritional benefits and practical applications in modern feed manufacturing

5. Growing demand for Poultry Byproducts ingredients

Today, the animal feed and aquafeed industries are increasingly utilizing poultry byproducts to optimize resources and improve production efficiency. Recycling poultry byproducts into feed ingredients not only reduces waste but also helps minimize environmental pressure from livestock and food processing industries.

Feed manufacturers are also paying closer attention to:

• Nutritional consistency

• Digestibility

• Flexibility in feed formulations

• Quality management throughout the supply chain

This is one of the reasons why products such as poultry meal, chicken byproduct meal, poultry protein meal, chicken meal powder and chicken meat & bone meal are becoming more widely used in modern feed production.

Animal protein ingredients for the modern animal feed and aquafeed industry 

6. MASI supplies feed ingredient solutions for the animal feed industry

MASI supplies a wide range of ingredients for aquafeed and animal feed production, including poultry meal, fish meal, fish oil, fish soluble paste, protein ingredients, and agricultural raw materials. With an international partner network and proactive logistics capability, MASI aims to provide stable supply solutions for feed manufacturers and trading partners in both domestic and international markets. All products are monitored and quality-controlled throughout the supply chain to maintain stable nutritional value and meet industrial feed production requirements. For more information about suitable feed ingredient solutions for aquaculture and livestock production, please contact MASI directly for consultation and quotation support.

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Contact information:

Masi

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