What is Bone Meal?
Bonemeal is a product created from the waste resulting from the slaughter of animals, especially beef cattle, by meat processors. It is a white powder made by grinding either raw or steamed animal bones. This results in a product that contains the same nutrients necessary for the production of, and maintenance of, bone in both humans and animals. The composition of bonemeal can vary. Phosphorus, in the form of chemical compounds related to phosphates, makes up 2030% of the powder. In addition to its mineral content, depending upon the amount of tendon and muscle left on the bones, bonemeal can be a fairly good source of protein. The nutrients typically present in bonemeal include the minerals calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and zinc, as well as traces of other elements. Bonemeal, especially when not steamed or cooked, is also rich in vitamins A and D. General Use: Calcium is the most significant nutrient in bonemeal. Calcium is particularly significant to women because of its esse
Bone meal is coarsely ground bone. Gardeners have utilized ground bone as a nutritional supplement for plants for centuries, and it continues to be very widely used for this purpose. Many garden supply stores stock bone meal for gardeners. Historically, this product has also been used as a feeding supplement for animals, although this practice has been brought into question by people who are concerned about food safety. Bone meal represents a potential vector for bovine spongiform encephalitis and other spongiform diseases, and its use in animal feed has actually been banned in some regions for this reason. The bones used in bone meal typically come from slaughterhouses and rendering plants. Both conventional and organic bone meal are available, with organic products coming from slaughterhouses which handle organic meat. In addition to basic bone meal, it is also possible to find bone meals which have been augmented with additional vitamins and minerals. The packaging usually indicates
