FINAL REPORTOF

THE CONCERTED ACTION"ANIMAL FEED AND NUTRITION" (AFN)

(AIR3-CT94-2266 EU-INFIC)

(HARMONIZATION OF INFORMATION ON ANIMAL FEEDS AND ACHIEVEMENT OF ITS APPROPRIATE AVAILABILITY THROUGHOUT THE EU)

Lelystad, March 2000/corr. December 2001N. BenedictusInternational Coordinator CA AFN

EU AIR CONCERTED ACTION ”ANIMAL FEED AND NUTRITION”SECRETARIAT : JAGERSVELD 2, 8222 AB LELYSTADPHONE : + 31 320 231819FAX : + 31 320 213089EMAIL : enfic@wxs.nlINTERNET : www.wxs.nl/~enfic

CONTENTS

1. SUMMARY PAGE 4

2. INTRODUCTION PAGE 6

3. MATERIALS AND METHODS PAGE 7

REPORT OVER PERIOD MARCH 1995 – March 2000 PAGE 8

4. RESULTS PAGE 22

5. DISCUSSION PAGE 22

6. DISSEMINATION PAGE 23

7. CONCLUSION PAGE 23

8. PROPOSED ACTION IN 2000 PAGE 23

ANNEX IA ORIGINAL WORKING SCHEME OF THE CA AFN 1995-1998 PAGE 24

ANNEX IB AMENDED WORKING SCHEME OF THE CA AFN 1996-1998 PAGE 25

ANNEX IC AMENDED WORKING SCHEME OF THE CA AFN 1997-1998 PAGE 26

ANNEX ID DETAILED 1998 WORK PROGRAMME OF THE CONCERTED ACTION"ANIMAL FEED AND NUTRITION" PAGE 27

ANNEX IEDETAILED 1998/1999 WORK PROGRAMME OF THE CONCERTED ACTION"ANIMAL FEED AND NUTRITION PAGE 28

ANNEX IFFINAL FINANCIAL STATE OF THE ART (MARCH 2000) PAGE 30

ANNEX II PARTICIPANTS -EXPERTISE - ROLE PAGE 31

ANNEX IIIEUROPEAN FEED DATA MANAGEMENT MASTERPLAN(PRELIMINARY FINAL VERSION), INCLUDING:

“PROPOSAL FOR A CONCERTED ACTION “ANIMAL FEED AND NUTRITION; HARMONIZATION OF FEED INFORMATION AND ACHIEVEMENT OF ITS APPROPRIATE AVAILABILITY THROUGHOUT THE EC”

“FEED DATA BASES, FEED DATA MANAGEMENT AND FEED DATA EXCHANGE IN EUROPE; PROCEEDINGS OF SESSION 2 OF THE

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NUTRITION COMMISSION DURING THE 42ND ANNUAL MEETING EAAP IN BERLIN 1991

ANNEX IV

FEED BASE, FEED DATA BASE MANAGEMENT USERS GUIDE AND SOFTWARE(Mr. G. Tran, Institut Nationale Agricole Paris Grignon/ Association Francaise de Zootechnie, Paris, France)

ANNEX VIDENTIFICATION AND HARMONIZATION OF BASELINE (DRAFTS)DATA TO BE INCLUDED IN THE DATABASE(Dr. C. Mills, DSPA, University of Udine, Italy)

1. CHEMICAL DATA DOCUMENT AFN/96/150

2. IN VIVO DIGESTIBILITY FOR THE ORGANIC COMPONENTS IN RUMINANT DIETS DOCUMENT AFN/96/151

6. IN VIVO DIGESTIBILITY DATA FOR THE ORGANIC COMPONENTS IN PIG DIETS DOCUMENT AFN/96/152

9. IN VIVO AME IN POULTRY DIETS (LAYERS) DOCUMENT AFN/96/153

10. IN VIVO AME IN POULTRY DIETS (BROILERS) IN LAYERS DOCUMENT

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1. SUMMARY

1.1. Title:

Concerted Action Animal Feed and Nutrition, harmonization of information on animal feeds and achievement of its appropriate availability throughout the EU

1.2. Organisations involved:

The principle governmental animal feed and nutrition research /information centres in the EU Member States, coordinated by the secretary of the International Network of Feed Information Centres (INFIC).

1.3. Scientific objectives:

The objective of this Concerted Action is to initiate and coordinate action to harmonize comprehensive information on animal feed and nutrition and achieve its appropriate availability throughout the EU. It covers in particular the establishment of the governing, organizational, administrative and (preparatory) technical structures for a future European Network of Feed Information Centres.

1.4. Discussion of work and achievements:

After establishing secretarial facilities in Lelystad in March/April 1995, the first meetings in the framework of the Workshops on Feed Identification and Feed Data Management Masterplan were organised in May 1995 and June 1995. These meetings resulted into a more concrete, feasable working plan concerning the development of an EU Feed Identification system and EU Feed Data Management Masterplan (EFDMMP), in such a way that in August 1995 preliminary drafts about these items could be presented.

In September 1995 the first meeting of the Steering Committee was organised in which technical and time appointments were made concerning the different planned workshops. Besides, the projectgroup was established consisting of members from the UK, D, F and NL to assist the international coordinator, where and when appropriate in the “daily” management of the project. Furthermore it was agreed that the new member states Au, F and S could participate (on own costs) in this concerted action and that Middle and Eastern European Countries via at least an annual report in the working group on “Feed Information in Europe” of the Nutrition Commission of EAAP should kept informed and involved.

In order to avoid waste of time and money (e.g. by organising insufficient prepared workshops it was decided to focus in the first place on a proper preparation, execution and follow up of the planned workshops by recruiting, within the permitted budgets, suitable scientific support. This could not earlier be realised than at the end of 1995, causing some three - six months delay in some of the planned workshop meetings during autumn/winter/spring 1995/1996. However, the scientific support already after one month was able to send to the relevant workshop members first basic documents concerning a Feed Naming System and Baseline Data to be incorporated into the system in due time.

In 1996 the two scientific coworkers, recruited at the end of 1995, could make considerable progress. One of them succeeded in developing a European Feed Naming/Nomenclature System including accompanying (ENFEED) software and partial design of a European (common ground) Feed Data Base, whilst the other was able to set up an inventory of baseline (and intermediate) data in Europe in use in feed evaluation and in due time to be integrated in the European Feed Data Base. At the end of 1996/beginning of 1997, it looked like that by mid 1997 the main product of this Concerted Action the Feed Data Management Package, being an amalgamation of the EFDMMPlan and the European Feed Data Base) could become available (in draft) for experimental use in a proto-type of the European Network of Feed Information Centres.

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It would enable a harmonised feed data management (and as a result of that: feed data exchange between these feed information centres) of the participating FIC’s in D, DK, F, Nl and the UK (later on followed by It, Esp, and P).

In 1997 it indeed was possible to finish the design of a European (common ground) Feed DataBase, called FEED BASE. In August/September 1997 this FEED BASE softwart was distributed to FIC’s in D, DK, F, Nl, UK, It, Esp, and P for experimental use in a proto-type of the European Network of Feed Information Centres. However, the original plan to execute this proto type ENFIC network during the period August 1997 - end of 1998, which made an extension of the AIR Concerted Action contract 2266 necessary, was delayed as the involved Commission services autumn 1997 wanted more clearance, further specifications and a comprehensive working programme of this extension period. The AFN secretariat provided the Commission with these matters early December 1997.

The period 1998-2000 of the CA AFN can be characterised as rather disappointing. As (1) the Commission agreed not earlier than mid July 1998 with the in September 1997 requested extension of one year and (2) the impossibility at that moment for the Commission to allow a time shift of the end of this extension till autumn 1999 including a proper finalization of this project till the beginning of 2000, made it that in fact only the period September – December 1998 effectively could be used for a further execution of this project. In this period assistance by a technical consultance was provided to FIC’s in Spain and the UK and according the working scheme a meeting of databasemanagers of the proto type ENFIC was organised for 5 participating FIC’s database managers (UK, P, F, Esp, It, Dk) on instruction and of the handling of the common software, developed in 1996 and 1997 by the scientific support of this CA. In this meeting it became clear that the feed industry in France, similar to those in The Netherlands and the UK had increasing difficulties to provide just for free data to this Concerted Action or in other words to co-op (furtheron) in this project. This ment that the project should be continued mainly as a Governmental oriented project (instead as a co-production of industry and governments), supporting EU feed legislation both in its development as well as in its control. Unfortunately this exercise could not be executed as the involved Commission service VI F II.3 remained end 1998 on her position that the CA AFN should be finished end 1998.

As at the end of 1999 not yet a reaction was received on early/mid 1999 verbal and written requests from the Dutch authorities (the official coordinator of the CA AFN) to DG VI that this project should be given the opportunity to be finished properly, the Dutch authorities end 1999 in principle decided to stop with the further coordination of this Concerted Action on Animal Feed and Nutrition. In later contacts between the Dutch authorities (RPNLEU) and the Commission (DG XXI) during 2000, it became clear that it was impossible for the Commission to allow a requested extension of the AFN project, leading at the end of 2000 to the agreement (to be confirmed by an official Commission letter to the Dutch authorities) that definitive final technical and financial reports of the CA AFN now should be submitted.

Above means that the objective of this Concerted Action, to initiate and coordinate action to harmonize comprehensive information on animal feed and nutrition and achieve its appropriate availability throughout the EU not totally will be realised as foreseen in the original working programme and has to be limited to the availibility of common ground EU Feed Database software.

1.5. Conclusions:

Above and the underlaying consolidated progress reports over the period 1995 – 2000, show that the CA AFN after a prosperous start in 1995 and e.g. thanks to the recrutement of qualified scientific personel, at the end of 1996 already was able to deliver the drafts of her main endproducts, being the EFDMMP and EU FEED BASE. This, notwithstanding serious financial and subsequent organizational/governing problems in the second half of 1996, caused by a delay in payment of the first payment on request combined with the non-possibility of pre-financing. Also in the second half of 1997, similar financial difficulties appeared when once again the Commission delayed another payment on request. These delays in payment were caused by internal Commission procedures, that only new credits were provided when the technical and financial reports over the previous period were agreed by the involved Commission services (VI FII.3, BII.1 and VI C.2). In particular the technical

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questions raised and explanation required in 1996 and again in 1997, in combination with earlier mentioned internal Commission procedure and the fact that this project had to be executed in a non prefinancing environment, caused such substantial delays in the execution of this CA, that the effective starting date to test the developed software in a proto type ENFIC shifted from mid 1997 to January 1998 and finally to September 1998, the latter under the condition that the agreed one year testing programme should be comprimed to four months, which was impossible/unacceptable.

Also the sceptical view on this project of an important part of the EU feed industry and trade has substantially influenced the fact hat this project could not be finished as planned. This scepticism had probably to do with the industries’fear that a full operational EU feed data base in the animal feed sector in particular could take away competitive advances, obtained as a result of comprehensive financial investments in research etc. on regional and company level. When in 1997/1998 it became clear that the developed EU FEED BASE software might indeed be the beginning of an European Feed Database, via Internet accessable for everybody, the compound feed industries in The Netherlands, United Kingdom and France reacted negative or rather reserved on the invitation to participate in the proto type ENFIC network.

Through above, the CA AFN has not been given the opportunity to be completed as foreseen in the beginning, even not as a governmental oriented and driven project. However, it lookes like that through the recent dioxine crisis in the EU animal feed sector things might change. Due to this crisis the authorities (Commission and Governments of EU Member States) have announced a set of legislative measurements in the feed/food sector which should guarantee food safety in the future. Amoungst these measures are (1) a better control of undesirable substances and products in feed materials (2) a possible introduction of a positive list of feed materials and (3) a sharper control on the compliance with EU feed legislation. All these measurements can only be executed properly, if in the years to come an EU Feed DataBase will be established. A Data Base in which in particular all the feed materials are included, complete with their names, description and (chem.) composition as far as necessary for their right identification. Besides, the entire existing undesirable substances and products should be included and the right cross links be made. This database in particular will serve as the (feed safety) anchor in the animal feed sector, both for primary agriculture, industry/trade as well as for the authorities in their legislative and control tasks. The results of this (uncompleted) CA probably can well be used for the preparation and set up of above mentioned EU feed Data Base. Furthermore it can be concluded that in particular the BSE and dioxine crises have forced the EU authorities to a stronger integration of feed information in the EU feed legislative infrastructure/network and bring it better under their control. One of the aims of this Concerted Action.Encouraging is further the establishment of an FAO/WHO task force which has been charged with the examination and possible establishment of a FAO/WHO Code for Good Feeding Practice. It is estimated that the work done in this Concerted Action may facilitate this worldwide activity. In that case this ENFIC project has contributed to the INFIC aim that to increase the global food supply both quantitatively and qualitatively, the animal production sector needs easy on line access to up date and reliable feed information.

2. INTRODUCTION

2.1. Overall background and objectives of the CA:

Historical, linguistic and scientific barriers have caused diversity in the definition and evaluation of feeds. In combination with a substantial variation in the dissemination of feed information, this causes huge differences in the level of practical application in and between EU Member States. In the framework of the reform of the CAP and with a view to a better protection of the environment, there is an increasing demand in all Member States for comprehensive, reliable up to date information on feeds and feeding which is felt to go beyond the possibility of providing this only via the EU feed legislation instrument. With this Concerted Action the necessary additional educational and extensional instruments will be developed to meet this growing demand.The objective of this Concerted Action is to initiate and coordinate action to harmonize comprehensive information on animal feed and nutrition and achieve its appropriate availability throughout the EU. It covers

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in particular the establishment of the governing, organizational, administrative and (preparatory) technical structures for a future European Network of Feed Information Centres with a central and driving role for steering group, project group and coordinating secretariat. It is proposed to transform in due time the secretariat of this Concerted Action into the European Feed Information Centre, including the establishment of an European Feed Data Base, acting as the hub in the European Network of Feed Information Centres (ENFIC). After the design and adoption of a Feed Data Management Package, participating teams in a limited number of EU countries will start a prototype-ENFIC-network. The experience gained from these beginnings will be used to present and expand the full system to all EU Member States and, if appropriate, to other interested European countries.

2.2. Expected results and benefits at the end of the project period:

After 3 years-preparatory work (1995-1998), the establishment of an effective operating European Network of Feed Information Centres (ENFIC) can be realised. Coordinated by the European Feed Information Centre (EFIC), in this network the officially recognized National Feed Information Centres in all 12 Member States of the EU closely work together in collecting, processing, exchanging and disseminating of data on feeds and feeding. Using e.g. modern Electronical Data Processing and Communication technics, the network provides e.g. the primary agriculture, the agricultural industry as well as the national and international policy makers with reliable, up to date information, necessary for a sustainable (international) competitive agriculture/animal husbandry. Besides, this network provides an international tool for a more efficient cooperation and coherence in EU animal feed and nutrition research.

3. MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1. General

3.1.1. Expertise and role of the participants:

The participants, being the heads of the feed research/information establishment of the EU Member States, are members of the Steering Committee, whilst 4 of them are also a member of the Project Group. They are experienced in both (the management of) feed and animal nutrition research and the dissemination of its results at least on national level. They are responsible for the active participation of their institutes/national feed information centres in this Concerted Action. This includes the stimulation of uniform collection, processing and dissemination of data on feeds and feeding in their respective countries as well as the international exchange of these data.The international coordinator has international experience in the animal feed sector on the crossroads of research, advisory, education and policy making, including the creation and management of national and EU legislation. He leads the secretariat, which is the coordinating and administrative centre of this Concerted Action. To keep the right tuning with ongoing EU animal feed activities in (i) the (statistical) CAP support and (ii) EU feed legislation, two representatives of the respective DG VI services are advising the Steering Committee. In Annex II, the expertise and role of the respective participants has been set out in more detail.

3.1.2. Coordination, scientific and secretarial support:

Overall coordination including: (i) the management of the secretariat; (ii) the organization/preparation of 6 meetings of the steering committee and the project group as well

4 technical workshops with in total 14 meetings;(iii) the co-editing and distribution of the reports of the meetings and workshops under (ii);(iv) the co-editing and distribution of the Eurofeed newsletter, reporting e.g. on the progress of this

Concerted Action;(v) The maintenance of intensive contacts with officials, services and institutes of the EU member

States and the European Commission;vii) the organizational assistance to the preparation of a proto-type electronical network

is provided by the international coordinator.

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Scientific support, including in particular support for:(i) the establishment of an international feed coding system for feeds;(ii) the identification of baselinedata to be implemented into the feed data base as well as the

establishment of international protocols for the collection, selection/ validation, processing, (international) exchange and dissemination of feed data;

(iii) the design and development of the Feed Data Base entity in the Feed Data Management Masterplan and the care for its proper functioning in the Feed Data Management Package

is given by (a) scientific co-worker(s), contracted on a part time base (7/12).

If appropriate, this scientific support also gives:(iv) technical assistance to the introduction of the Feed Data Management Masterplan in all EU

Member States;(v) technical assistance to the preparation and execution of a proto-type electronical network. (vi) the set up of a proto-type of the European Feed Data Base as nucleus in the future European

Network of Feed Information Centres

Secretarial support is also contracted on a part time base (7/12).The secretariat is located at Jagersveld 2, 8222 AB, Lelystad, and The Netherlands

3.2 CONSOLIDATED PROGRESS REPORT OVER THE PERIOD MARCH 1995 - MARCH 2000

3.2.1. REPORT OVER THE PERIOD MARCH 1995 - SEPTEMBER 1995

I. After comprehensive preparations at the end of 1994, the EU AIR concerted action “Animal Feed and Nutrition” could be started at the beginning of March 1995, some half a month after receiving the signed contract between INFIC and the European Commission (DG VI) and an advance payment of 100.000 ECU (of a total EU contribution of 310.000 ECU).

II. Due to the rather low profile of the INFIC organization so far and to be ensured of a proper execution of this project, the Commission requested a solid backing. The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries has provided this backing at the end of February 1995. It informed the Commission that it will participate in this project and that Mr. Benedictus as a staff member of its Directorate Agriculture and Executive Secretary of INFIC, had been appointed as project manager/international coordinator. Furthermore, it had been decided to lay down the (final) accountancy at the Department Financial and Economical Affairs of this Directorate.

III. In order to work as efficient as possible and to enable the preparation of a kind of "official start" of this project, the members of the Steering Committee agreed to postpone the first meeting of the Steering Committee (together with the establishment and meeting of the Project Group) till late April or beginning of May 1995 instead of organising it in the very short term in March 1995. Besides of having by that time a better view on the governing questions the Steering Committee had to decide about, it gave the Steering Committee also the opportunity to examine and discuss the first results of earlier held workshops. After establishing secretarial facilities in Lelystad in March/April 1995, a first meeting in the framework of the Workshops on Feed Identification and Feed Data Management Masterplan was organised in the beginning of May 1995. During this meeting the proposal was made to organize an inofficial/orientating meeting of the Steering Committee during the 7th Protein Symposium, as most of the members probably should attend this symposium. In this meeting, held on 25 May 1995, it was agreed to organize in the second half of September 1995 the first official meeting of the Steering Committee, which was realized on 25 September 1995.

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IV. a. On 8 and 9 May 1995 the first meeting in the framework of the Workshops on Feed Identification and Feed Data Management Masterplan was organized with participants from (Feed Information Centres in) UK, DK, DE, FR. (and NL). In this meeting it was agreed that the Feed Data Management Masterplan could be set up along the same lines as in the relevant 1992 INFIC document and that a Feed Identification System should be established according the proposal made in the September 1991 INFIC meeting in Lelystad. This was confirmed and made more concrete in a second meeting on 26 and 27 June 1995 in Paris. In this meeting several appointments were made, e.g. correction of the draft of the Feed Data Management Masterplan and the drawing of a first draft of an EU Feed Identification/Coding System. An important point, in particular raised in the second meeting was that the project soon entered a phase that scientific support is indispensable and that it should be recruited in the short term in order to be able to follow the planned schedule, e.g. having the Feed Coding System as well as the Feed Data Management Masterplan ready in spring 1996.

b. Also in above mentioned workshop meetings it was felt necessary, that due to the attention to be paid to the chemical/bioavailability parameters to be included in the EU-feed data base/-network and its relationship with parameters to be used in the EU feed coding system, to organize in autumn ´95 meeting(s) in the framework of the Workshop on Baseline Data of Feed Evaluation.

c. In order to start in time thinking on the future of the project after 1998, two meetings in the project have been planned for the provision of a general outline for a sustainable ENFIC. In above mentioned workshop meetings it was strongly felt necessary and recommended to organize in the short term (this autumn/winter) one or two (secretarial-experts) meetings on this important subject.

d. In a meeting of the EAAP Working Group on “Feed Information in Europe” (together with the INFIC secretariat the original initiators of this project) held on 5 September 1995 in Prague about updating of its activities and establishment of an adequate liaision with the EU project “Animal Feed and Nutrition”, representatives of Central and Eastern European countries asked for an active participation in the EU project. The EAAP Nutrition Commission in her business meeting on 7 September 1995 supported this request. For this reason it was proposed to the Steering Committe of the EU project “Animal Feed and Nutrition” to involve these countries by providing them all relevant information and include their comments in final decisions.

V. Against above mentioned backgrounds and activities the first meeting of the Steering Committee was held on 25 September 1995 in Brussels. During this meeting the technical, personnel and financial state of the art were discussed and concrete appointments concerning the further execution of the project in the coming half-year were made. In this meeting the following was discussed/concluded:

1. Concerning the workshop about baseline data, it was concluded that this workshop should focus on (1) Inventory of the ongoing activities concerning the harmonization of methods of

(chemical) analysis;(2) Indication, within the framework of this project (feed information), of the

desirable direction/way this harmonization should be continued and if necessary amended,

(3) Indication how and in which way the project considerably can contribute to a harmonization of data on bioavailability of nutrients in animal feeds, followed by

(4) Concrete action when setting up the common feed database.

As far as possible, the secretariat and in particular the scientific support, which should be recruited in the very short term, will prepare an adequate working document before the first meeting of this workshop on baseline data will be organized. It was agreed that in a first meeting (autumn ´95?), the items under (1) and (2) will be tackled

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and in a second meeting (winter ´95/spring ´96?) the items under (3) and (4). After that it will be decided if more meetings are necessary in particular about items under (3) and (4) and how many more persons have to be involved.

2. Concerning the draft of the Feed Data Management Masterplan (FDMMP), it was agreed that the different participants in their countries should discuss this with the involved groups (e.g. chapters 2 and 3) and experts (chapter 4). Comments should be sent before the end of the year 1995 to the secretariat and a third meeting in the framework of the workshop on FDMMP could be organized in the beginning of next year, leading towards a final draft of FDMMP in spring 1996.

3. As the international Feed Identification/Numbering will be an important part of the FDMMP (current section 4.1), this activity in the framework of the activities of the workshop on Feed Identification, has to be executed, in particular by the scientific support, during this autumn/winter/next early spring. It was agreed that, assuming that scientific support will be available from the first of November 1995, before the first of May 1996 an international code numbering system can be drafted and made ready for implementation in the FDMMP.

4. Concerning the provision of a sustainable ENFIC (follow up of the project after 1997), the meeting decided and agreed that before the end of 1995, all participants will put their ideas on paper how to continue this project after 1997. The secretariat will than try to amalgamate these ideas into a working document, which will be, presented in the next meeting of the Steering Committee.

5. On a proposal of the secretariat, the meeting after a brief discussion decided that the representatives of D, FR, NL and the UK should form the project group. The main argument behind this decision was that these countries in particular have both technical and infra structural experience in the field of collecting, processing and dissemination of information on feeds and feeding. They are therefore the most suitable representatives to support/assist, if appropriate, the international coordi-nator in the “daily” management of the project e.g. recruiting personnel, interim decisions etc.

6. It was agreed that the project now had entered a phase that scientific support is indispensable. Therefore in the short term scientific support should be recruited. The meeting unanimously agreed with the proposal to reserve for in total 3 months, money for scientific support to request Dr Steg of the ID-DLO (NL), an experienced senior specialist in feed evaluation, to function as scientific/applicable controller in this project. Furthermore it was appointed that till the 8th of October 1995, all members of the Steering Committee be still in the opportunity to indicate (and inform the secretariat about) personnel, potentially suitable for the desired other scientific support. After that date the secretariat together with (members of) the project group will organize the necessary interviews and make a final selection so that at the beginning of November 1995 the scientific support can be recruited and hopefully put at work.

7. Publications and reports will be brought out according the contract (half yearly progress report over period March 1995-September 1995 will be sent to the Commission as soon as possible). As soon as scientific support is available and getting productive, the secretariat will try -together with the project group- to start the EURO Feed Newsletter, as indicated in the project plan.

8. The meeting agreed with the participation of all new EU Member States but could not accept a further reduction in the budgets of the different activities, some of them already being reduced considerably at an earlier stage (e.g. money for the workshop on baseline data). As the Commission representative indicated that probably no more

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money will be available, the conclusion was drawn that new member states than have to participate on their own costs. The secretary will communicate this (preliminary) conclusion to the representatives of the new Member States.

9. Concerning the involvement of countries of Central and Eastern Europe the Steering Committee agreed wirth the appointments made as indicated under IVd.

3.2.2. REPORT OVER THE PERIOD SEPTEMBER 1995 - MARCH 1996:

VI. Since the meeting of the Steering Committee on 25 September 1995 in Brussels, it was tried to execute as many as possible of the agreed items and keep as much as possible in line with the working programme as laid down in the technical annex of the project contract. However, due to the huge amount of work and meetings last autumn in the field of EU feed legislation1), it was impossible for the secretariat to execute all appointments in time. In particular the conversion of the 4Th draft of the INFIC Feed Data Management Master Plan into the first version of the ENFIC Feed Data Management Master Plan (EFDMMP) could not be sent to participants earlier than beginning of February 1996 and is asked to be returned with comments by the first of April 1996. As a majority of participants at the beginning of January 1996 had not yet given its view on the continuation/ follow up of the project after 1997 (as appointed in the Steering Committee meeting of 25-09-1995) they also have been demanded to deliver this not later than 1 April 1996.

VII. In order to recruit as soon as possible the scientific support (and to assure sufficiently prepared workshops, the Project Group on 31 October 1995 was able to meet in Brussels with the candidates applying for this job. In that meeting a time schedule for the different tasks of/in the scientific support during the remaining project period (November 1995-March 1998) was laid down2). This schedule was used during the interviews with the two candidates, Mr. G. Tran from Association Francaise de Zootechnie (AFZ) in Paris (Fr) and Dr. C. Mills from the Universita degli Studi di Udine, Dipartimento di Scienze della Produzione Animale (DISPA) in Udine (It). Due to the shown interest of the candidates, their (complementary) skills and careers so far, as well as the necessity to execute the different described activities in the project now as soon as possible, the Project Group decided mid November 1995 to recruit - within the available budgets - Mr. G. Tran as well as Dr. C. Mills for a period of one year, starting December/January 1995/96. In this period, on a half time base, they will be charged with the following tasks:(A) Mr. Tran in particular with: the set up of a feed identification/coding/naming

system and the establishment of a feed data base and(B) Dr. Mills in particular with: the identification and harmonization of baseline data

and international protocols for data collection, selection/validation, processing etc.

The Project Group was of the opinion that above mentioned persons together with the scientific/applicable controller, Dr. A. Steg of DLO-Instituut voor Dierhouderij (ID-DLO) in Lelystad (NL) and the secretariat within a one-year period can make a substantial progress. In December 1995 and January 1996 the different contracts between EU AIR AFN at one side and AFZ, DISPA and ID-DLO at the other side have been drafted and, except the one with ID-DLO, finished and signed in February 1996.

1 ) In particular the assistance to the Commission services to get the closely to this Concerted Action related proposal

for a Council Directive on the Circulation of Feed Materials at the end of December 1995 adopted by COREPER

2 ) The Project Group emphasized the importance and efficacy of well prepared workshops. They advised to organize

only a workshop if the discussion can take place on basis of a solid inventory of problems and clear proposal s to solve them. For

that reasons they proposed to accept a certain delay in the planned workshops of the project working plan. 11

VIII. As in the mean time all three persons of the scientific support started more or less their work for EU AIR AFN already in December 1995, it was possible to organise a secretarial-scientific support meeting/workshop on 18 and 19 December 1995 at Lelystad, in which, based on the appointments made by the Project Group on 31 October 1995, a more concrete working and time schedule for respectively G.Tran and C. Mills was appointed. As both persons started quite intensively/ comprehensively their EU AIR AFN job, it was felt necessary to repeat such a meeting on 19 and 20 February 1996.

IX. This second secretarial-scientific coordinating workshop was used to discuss and appoint on (the organization and progress in) ongoing and future work, in particular: (i) The (further) set up of the basic documents3) for(ii) The preparatory (electronical) participant-discussions and(iii) Principle time appointments on future workshops about respectively: - Feed Identification/naming (incl. establishment feed data base4) (April 1996), - Chemical Baseline Data (May 1996), - Bio-availability Baseline Data (Ruminants: May 1996; Pigs/Poultry: June 1996), - EFDMMP (April 1996) - View on the follow-up of the project after 1997/1998 (May 1996).

During this meeting it also was indicated, that dependable of the overall progress (to be) made, the next meeting of the Steering Committee probably the best can be organised in June 1996 and of the Project Group somewhere between March and June 1996. In these meetings the respective Groups will discuss the (most up to date) proposals concerning above mentioned items and, if possible, come to decisions.

X. The new Member States (Austria, Finland and Sweden) in February 1996 have been informed about the Concerted Action by the secretariat and invited to participate (according indications of the Commission services and decision by the Steering Committee of 25-09-1995 on their own costs). Given their (verbal) reactions so far, all three new Member States probably will participate.

XI. Countries of Middle and Eastern Europe (Hungary, Poland, Czech and Slovakian Republic) also remain eager to participate.According appointments made during the 46 Th Annual meeting of EAAP in September 1995 in Prague, the secretariat (has to) limit(s) their involvement in the project in keeping them informed with the progress made, either electronically or via the annual meetings of the EAAP working group on “Feed information in Europe”.

XII. In November 1995 the (INFIC/CA AFN-ENFIC) secretariat received from the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington DC (USA) the publication “Building a North American Feed Information System”. In this booklet (70 p’s) the USA authorities are advised to establish throughout the USA, Canada and Mexico a feed information system with a central Feed DataBase situated in the USDA. A proposal with the same background, targets and activities (easy access to a comprehensive up to date feed information system to achieve an efficient, competitive and sustainable agriculture) as the Concerted Action “Animal Feed and Nutrition” in Europe. If this proposal will be realised, for the benefit of both Networks, it seems worthwhile to establish contacts with the executives of this possible North American project.

3.2.3. REPORT OVER THE PERIOD MARCH 1996 - MAY 1997

XIII. Since the second scientific-secretarial meeting in Februari 1996, in many of the ongoing items and dossiers good progress could be made, in particular by the scientific personel G. Tran and

3 ) Basic documents have been drafted on EFDMMP, feed identification/coding system and chemical baseline data

4 ) A first lay out has been created at the end of 1995, using Access database software and the Annex of the draft

Council Directive on the Circulation of Feed Materials as a suitable community basis to start with.12

C. Mills. In this first half year of 1996 G. Tran could finish a second draft of the EUROPEAN FEED NAMING SYSTEM (EFNS) and C. Mills produced drafts on respectively chemical parameters and some relevant bioavailability parameters. After the production and submission to the Commission of a consolidated progress report over 1995, mid April 1996, at the beginning of May 1996 it was decided to organise in June 1996 a final workshop on the items ENFIC/ EUROPEAN FEED DATA MANAGEMENT MASTER PLAN and EUROPEAN FEED NAMING SYSTEM. Furthermore the work on the Chemical and Bioavailability data dossiers had progressed that much that also during this workshop meeting some more concrete thoughts about the follow up of these dossiers could be formulated.

XIV. The above indicated workshop was held at 31 May, 3 and 4 June 1996 in Lelystad, The Netherlands with participants from D, DK, F, UK and NL. A part of the meeting was reserved for the Project Group to discuss some actual governing matters, e.g. the follow up of the project and the ENFIC Internet home page.

The results of this Workshop/Project Group meeting were the following:

a. It was decided to amend the 1 St. draft of  the ENFIC /EUROPEAN FDMMP and 2 nd draft of EFNS according the remarks made during this workshop and send the amended versions for final judgement and approval to the Steering Committee. Participants were enthusiastic about the accompanying software developed for a uniform and proper management of the European Feed Naming System. It was appointed that in the coming half year this software will be expanded and amalgamated with software to be developed for a provisional common feed data base including the establishment of interfaces to already existing feed data bases in some five European countries.

b. The workshop also discussed the follow up of the produced documents on chemical and bioavailability parameters of feeds. It was decided to amend these inventorying dossiers of both sets of parameters in such a way that the importance of these activities in the project (e.g. being substantial elements in both feed identification and feed evaluation) will become clearer without loosing their current scientific value and depth. This could be realized by writing them in HTML format.

c. Furthermore it was proposed to connect the activities in this Concerted Action on the harmonization of chemical parameters for feed evaluation with the ongoing activities in the EU (CEMA/CEN/ISO) concerning the establishment/ amendment of chemical parameters and analyses for the official control of EU feed legislation.

d. Attention was also paid to the continuation of the project after 1997 and it was decided that the secretariat, according the remarks made during this meeting (these activities for the time being were judged as being for a great deal a responsibility for (supra) governmental organizations), should make a proposal concerning this topic for the Steering Committee.

e. Finally a proposal was discussed and agreed for a demonstration of the project during a meeting of the EAAP Working Group “Feed information in Europe” at the 47 th Annual Meeting of the European Association for Animal Production, to be held from 25 - 29 August 1996 at Lillehammer, Norway.

f. In this context the meeting agreed (and advised the Steering Committee to do the same) that the current empirical activities of the secretariat concerning the ENFIC-Homepage on INTERNET (address: http://www.pi.net/~enfic) should be continued and further professionalised. This because such a homepage provides an excellent information and communication tool (within the CA as well with the outside world), giving to almost everybody the opportunity to follow the (progress made in this) project and to comment and contribute, where appropriate. However, it was emphasized that sufficient safety measurements concerning confidential material/documents should be taken into account e.g. by not putting them (immediately) on the homepage. For this reason it was judged that the

13

secretariat only (if appropriate in agreement with project group) should be enabled to amend and update the contents of the ENFIC INTERNET homepage

In communications with the AFN Steering Committee members summer 1996, a majority indicated to agree with an AFN/ENFIC homepage on INTERNET. Since that time the secretariat continued to develop such a page. Although this page is still under construction, about all relevant (updated) non confidential dossiers/documents concerning this Concerted Action, announcements etc. are now on line available, in principle enabling everybody to follow and comment on (the progress made in) this CA.

XV. As at the beginning of June 1996 it was expected that preliminary last versions on EFDMMP and EFNS before the summer holiday (end of July 1996) and parameters on chemical and bioavailability data before the end of September 1996 could be finished, it was planned to organise in October/November 1996 the second meeting of the Steering Committee to judge and agree on a majority of the above mentioned documents. Together with the view of the Steering Committee on the follow up of the project after 1997, it was assumed to have by that time also a sufficient solid basis to start in praxis the proto-type of the ENFIC network”.

XVI. However, as the advance payment of 100.00 ECU provided for the first year (1995) had almost been spent by mid 1996 and the money for the second year (1996) was not received earlier than February 1997, their appeared autumn 1996 organizational and payment problems in the execution of the project. For this reason the second meeting of the Steering Committee of the Concerted Action “Animal Feed and Nutrition (AFN)” could not be organized and contracted personnel not (directly) be paid.

XVII. In contacts with the Commission about the acceptance by all involved Commission services of the CA AFN consolodated report over 1995, the relevant Commission employees at the beginning of November 1996, emphasized the need for a common (approach in) feed evaluation in the future European Feed Data Base. They should appreciate if special attention should be given to this item in the EFDMMP. The secretariat/scientific support agreed with this request and implemented it early 1997 in the last version of the EFDMMP. This by laying down the intention to include in the European Feed Database conversion factors enabling “statistical” comparison and compatibility of the (energy/protein) systems in use in the different EU countries.

Furthermore it was agreed that the international CA AFN coordinator and the scientific co-worker, Mr Tran, should explain and demonstrate the project in the EU Animal Nutrition Consultative Committee which was held on 29 February 1997 in Brussels. Taking into account that the EU animal feed sector will be a very important actor in a future European Network of Feed Information Centres, this was an excellent opportunity to “market” and “demonstrate” the project to this group. As both farmers, trade and industry reacted positively and indicated to look forward for a proper continuation and (in due time) active participation, it is hoped that also in the future there remain possibilities via the EU Consultative Committee to inform/involve the EU animal feed sector about/in this CA.

XVIII. As in February 1997 a payment from the Commission of 39009 ECU was received, it became possible to organize in spring 1997 the second meeting of the AFN Steering Committee.

XIX. Notwithstanding the problems mentioned under point XVI in the second half of 1996 it has been possible (in particular by the continuation of the work by the self-pre-financing scientific support) to proceed the Concerted Action “Animal Feed and Nutrition” progressively:

a. During the 47 Th EAAP annual meeting in Lillehammer (N) in a meeting of the EAAP working group on “Feed Information in Europe” the audience has been informed about the state of the art of the project and the last versions of the European Feed Nomenclature System and CA AFN home page have been demonstrated. During these events it seemed that the more the project is able to show concrete possibilities for harmonised international

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feed data management and feed data exchange, the more people are getting enthusiastic for joining and cooperation.

b. End 1996 the scientific support was able to finish the preliminary drafts of the following documents/dossiers:

FEED DATA MANAGEMENT DOCUMENTS/DOSSIERS prepared and processed by Mr G. Tran as follows:

1. PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN FEED NAMING/NOMENCLATURE SYTEM (EFNS)

2. ENFEED, software for theA. Management of the EFNSB. Management of chemical and bioavailibility parametersC: Management of local (national) data sourcesD. Management of local national feed nomenclaturesE. Management of local feed dataF. Retrieval and comparison of local feed data through the European Feed

Nomenclature3. SPECIFICATIONS FOR A EUROPEAN (COMMON GROUND) FEED

DATA BASE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

In March/April 1997 Mr. G. Tran was offered another 3 month’s contract to finish his work on the European (common ground) Feed Data Base software.CHEMICAL AND BIOAVAILIBILITY DATA DOCUMENTS/DOSSIERS prepared and processed by DR C. Mills as follows:

IDENTIFICATION AND HARMONISATION OF (1-11) TO BE INCLUDED IN THE DATABASE:

1. CHEMICAL DATA2. IN VIVO DIGESTIBILITY FOR THE ORGANIC COMPONENTS IN

RUMINANT DIETS3. IN VITRO DIGESTIBILITY METHODS FOR RUMINANTS4. IN SITU PROTEIN DEGRADABILITY DATA FOR THE PROTEIN IN

RUMINANT DIETS5. IN VITRO PROTEIN DEGRADABILITY METHODS6. IN VIVO DIGESTIBILITY DATA FOR THE ORGANIC COMPONENTS IN

PIG DIETS7. IN VIVO ILEAL DIGESTIBILITY OF AMINO ACIDS FOR PIGS 8. IN VITRO DIGESTIBILITY METHODS FOE PIGS9 IN VIVO AME IN POULTRY DIETS (LAYERS)10. IN VIVO AME IN POULTRY DIETS (BROILERS)11. IN VITRO METHODS FOR POULTRY

c. At the beginning of 1997, it looked like that by mid 1997 the main product of this Concerted Action (Feed Data Management Package, being an amalgamation of the EFDMMPlan and the European Feed Data Base) could become available (in draft) for experimental use in a so called proto-type European Network of Feed Information Centres. As participants in their daily work than will be confronted with what has been constructed so far, it may be expected that such an experimental practical implementation period is the most efficient way to introduce, polish and upgrade the (drafted) Feed Data Management Package.In this period probably quite some workshops need to be organized to explain, amend, complete and upgrade (parts) of the different elements in this Feed Data Management

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Package. It is estimated that a sufficient long testing/upgrading period (one, but preferable two years) contributes substantially to the target of this CA, being the establishment of a solid organizational and technical base for a well operating future European Network of Feed Information Centres.

XX. On 14 May 1997 the second meeting of the AFN Steering Committee was held in Brussels. In this meeting the following main items were discussed and concluded:

a. Progress report period September 1995 - may 1997 and future planning of the CA AFN

During the discussion on the progress report period September 1995 - May 1997, the meeting (in particular the Commission representatives) expressed their concern about the involvement of trade and industry in this CA and the achievement of its original goal. The chairman indicated that the project since the early nineties is subject of ongoing discussion in EAAP (where animal science and trade/industry meet every year) and since 1996 open for comments on an Internet site. Furthermore he considered that not everything could be done in three years! The main target at the moment is to establish a network of national feed information centres (with representatives from the national industry and trade in their governing boards/committees) in all Member States and start the communication with each other, using as much as possible modern electronical means and adequate common software. In this framework:(a) The existing databases will be cleaned up; (b) If appropriate, in some countries not yet existing (new) Feed Information

Centres established;(c) Of course new results of research, obtained in the same standardised way, i

mplemented.Along these lines it must be possible to grow in the future towards a reliable, solid, common unified European feed database of such a quality that people in due time even are prepared to “pay” for access (i.e. by financial contribution or by providing new valuable data). According the project description the project will be executed step by step, which means that not everything can be executed at the same time and not everybody can already be involved from the very early beginning. It is expected that when the project enters the next stage of proto type network, that more and more relevant people will become involved!

b. Conclusions of the Steering Committee on progress report and future planning of the CA AFN.

The meeting agreed with the following conclusions the chairman drew from the above mentioned discussion:

1. There is agreement on working in the long run on a solid, high quality common European Feed Data Base or Network, containing such valuable data that “customers” in due time probably are prepared to pay for its data.

2. In the short term (during this CA) there will be a continuation of focussing on producing the tools and methods to “put things in this diverging matter in the EU together”. These tools and methods, for testing and further development, will become available in the proto type of network to be started from the middle of 1997. The prototype network and its secretariat are planned to be lead to one European network [ENFIC and EFIC (European Feed Information Centre)] at the end of the project period.

3. In this (proto type of) network the quality/compatibility of information will have high priority by paying attention to the accuracy of which data and figures to be used have been produced (selection/validation according criteria/guidelines for the “European Windows”, e.g. using standardisation according EU chemical analytical directives etc.)

c. The way forward:

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c.1. Finalising the first version of European Feed Data Management Package, including the European Feed Data base (software) and selection and validation criteria on feed nomenclature (feed data source and feed identification), chemical and bioavailibility parameters.

The secretary brought forward that in February 1997, the last version of the European Feed Data Management Master plan has been formulated and put on Internet. The EFDMMP is now a real Master plan with a “PROBLEMS”, “STATE OF THE ART” and “HOW TO MASTER THE PROBLEMS” approaches. The meeting agreed that, for the time being, this version (AFN/97/101/vs 03) would be used in the first draft of the European Feed Data Management Package! During (one of) the upcoming meetings in the framework of the proto type ENFIC, this version can be subject of changes (if proposed by the EU CA AFN participants), in such a way that mid 1998 the final version will be established.

Mr G. Tran (1996 scientific co-worker CA AFN), reminded in an overhead presentation themeeting on the European Feed Nomenclature System (ENFEED, containing 153 feeds), since last year September available on Internet. After demonstrating the format of the common European Feed DataBase, he indicated that at the end of June 1997/beginning of July 1997 he hopes to finish the common European Feed DataBase (software). This means that in principle a couple of weeks later the European Feed Data Management Package can become available for testing in the proto type ENFIC. He remarked that it would be absolutely necessary that before starting this proto type of network criteria will be laid down for the selection and validation of data/parameters for the “European Window”. On a remark of the Spanish participant, that old data are not necessarely bad, the meeting agreed that to avoid the exclusion of less available unconsolidated data of exotic, rare feeds, this should be done by marking these data. Later on these data can be replaced by more consolidated results of tests and animal experiments. The meeting agreed that data can be identified as “consolidated”, as soon as appropriate reference(s) is (are) available.

Mr. C. Mills (1996 scientific co-worker CA AFN) gave an overview of the documents he had prepared during 1996 on chemical analyses and bioavailibility parameters. It was agreed that Mr Mills should sent to all participants all his drafted documents for comments/completion, so that before the first of August 1997 a complete inventory of chemical analyses and bio availability parameters in the CA AFN will be available! The UK participant indicated that not all documents were suitable to be published at a public domain as Internet. As a stage has been reached in the CA AFN that all documents have been produced, the meeting agreed that the “not suitable for Internet publication” should be identified by participants and that they should inform the secretariat which documents should not be placed on the ENFIC Internet home page.

The meeting expressed its appreciation of the work of both (1996) scientific coworkers and was of the opinion that the prepared documents were a good bases/starting point for feed identification, feed data selection/validation and feed data exchange to be tested in the proto type ENFIC.

c.2. Establishment and working procedure proto type ENFIC (5-8 countries) (Annex I E)

After a brief explanation of the secretary, in which he indicated the need for a full time database coordinator at the secretariat as soon as the proto type network starts, the meeting agreed that the draft letter to the participants of the proto type network (FIC’s of D, Dk, F, NL and UK, later on followed by It, Esp. and P) and annex were a proper explanation of the working procedure of the proto type network. It was emphasized that the selection criteria of the “European window” should be very clear! In this context the meeting supported the idea to demonstrate on a central point in Europe (Paris) end June/begin July 1997 to the involved experts the software of the European Feed Data Base and use this meeting also for the formulation of the selection/validation criteria of the “European Window”. The secretary also indicated that participation of above mentioned FIC’s in this proto type network is of crucial importance for the results and future of this project. It is even that

17

crucial that if too less FIC’s will be ready to participate, it probably should be considered to give this project back to the Commission.

The chairman concluded that such a situation should not be aimed at and all efforts need to be used to start full participation!

c.3. Acceptance of use of Internet as main communication means

The meeting in principle agreed with the use of Internet as the main communication means in the CA AFN. However, it should be mentioned that not all participants at the moment have such an Internet connection available. It was agreed that for the time being and until new appointments to be made, where appropriate, also other communication means would be used. Concerning the documents in the project, not suitable for publication on Internet, the meeting agreed on the use of the FTP-adress. The secretariat in due time will therefore communicate to the participants the particular FTP adress including password.

d. Project extension with one year

The meeting on the basis of the presented amended working scheme 1997/1998 underlined the necessity of project extension with one year. The secretary indicated that as the CA AFN does not have the possibilities of pre-financing, the project at the end of the first half year 1997 again will run out of money. For this reason the secretariat was asked to send as soon as possible (1) a request for project extension together with (2) the technical and financial progress report over 1996 and (3) a request for a (soon) second payment to the relevant Commission services.

e. Follow up of the project after 1997/1998 (Annex I F)

It was appointed that all (relevant) participants should send their comments on the Annex 4 (follow up of the project after 1997/1998) to the secretariat before the first of August 1997. This in order to prepare a meeting of (members of) the project group in August 1997. Asked to his opinion, the Commission representative indicated that in general the Commission does not support these kinds of projects on a permanent basis. Dependable on the quality of the projects finished and new projects proposed, it could be that support/funding could be found, if necessary/appropriate also along other ways, e.g. via connected problems/projects.

f. Financial state of the art (Annex I G)

The secretary explained the financial state of the art according the figures in annex 5. He reminded the financial problems during 1996 and the upcoming financial problems at the end of the first half year 1997. He indicated to ask the relevant Commission services for priority treatment when submitting this spring to them the progress report over 1996 including a request for money over the remaining project period. The meeting agreed with the presented matter and planned strategy.

g. Other business

Dr Perez Lanzac, (deputy) advisory member of the CA AFN SC, until now as secretary of the Scientific Committee on Animal Nutrition (SCAN) representing DG VI B II 1, brought the following forward:

Following the results of the debate on BSE in the European Parliament, the European Commission had decided to reorganise the Commission services as follows:

From the first of April 1997 the Scientific Committee on Animal Nutrition (SCAN), like the Scientific Veterinary Committee, the Scientific Committee on Pesticides and the Scientific

18

Committee on Food, have been moved from respectively DG VI and DG III to DG XXIV, the new Directorate General on consumers protection and safety affairs.

The CA AFN (ENFIC), being a EU network of governmental institutes/experts in the field of animal feed and nutrition under construction, could support the “future animal feed and nutrition activities” of DG XXIV as follows:

- In the short run by assistance of the (EP and EC) Meat and Bone Meal conference;- In the long run by assistance of SCAN when amending/completing e.g. the EC Directives on

feed materials, specific feed materials and compound feeds (amendment of the annexes is a matter of scientific progress).

In both cases a common European Feed DataBase will be of great help to get the right information necessary for a balanced regulation.

The meeting agreed with the proposal that for a more concrete plan of action, Dr Perez Lanzac should approach the international secretary of the CA AFN, which on his turn should communicate appropriate actions to be undertaken with members of the Steering Committee.

The secretary brought forward that according the proposed working scheme 1997/1998, the third meeting of the AFN Steering Committee is foreseen for 9/98;

Furthermore he announced that there will be a full session of the EAAP Nutrition Commission dedicated to this project during the 48 Th EAAP meeting in August 1997 in Vienna (see annex I H for programme).

3.2.4. REPORT OVER THE PERIOD MAY 1997 - MARCH 1998

XXI. Since the last meeting of the Steering Committee (May 1997) the Scientific support (Mr. G. Tran) has been able to finish a proposal for common software developed for EU Feed Data Base(s), called Feed Base. With Feed Base the Concerted Action provides a common tool to manage local feed data so that all (participating) Feed Information Centres are able to work in the same way. FeedBase is a generic database tool for the management of chemical, physical and bioavailability data obtained on feed materials. It contains:

a. An interface to manage the data;b. A database structure to store the local data (this structure is provided empty);c. A database containing the European nomenclatures and European consolidated data

(once they are available);d. A User’s Guide.

FeedBase Menu (1/4) includes:- Management of national nomenclatures for feed materials, parameters, methods of

analysis, experimental protocols, geographical regions, laboratories, feed providers and many other items.

- Management of documents.

FeedBase Menu (2/4) includes:- Management of the description of individual feed samples.- Management of chemical and physical data obtained in a laboratory.- Management of bioavailability data obtained in an experimental facility.- Management of local and external consolidated data.

FeedBase Menu (3/4) contains:- Procedures to calculate consolidated data.- Procedures for importing, converting and validating new data.- Procedures to export data.

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With FeedBase Menu (4/4) the local FeedBase is linked to the European FeedBase5). The European part of FeedBase may be updated independently. It contains the EU nomenclatures. It will contain the EU consolidated data when they are available.

FeedBase (release 1.0) was distributed end August 1997 to 8 test sites in Europe being the Feed Information Centres in D, DK, E, F, I, NL, P and UK, invited to participate in the proto type ENFIC Network, planned to be executed in the period September 1997 till December 1998. However, as until now not yet permission (and money) for this activity from the Commission was received the start of this proto type network had to be delayed till the end of the report period.

XXII. The scientific support (Mr. G. Tran) visited in May respectively June 1997 (on their request) the Feed Information Centres in respectively Portugal (Estaçao Nacional Zootecnica) and Denmark (Foulum Research Centre) to assist them in their attempts to comply (with their feed databases) as much as possible with the EU FEED BASE software under development.

XXIII. A full session of the EAAP Nutrition Commission was dedicated to the CA AFN on 28 August 1997 during the 48 Th EAAP meeting in August 1997 in Vienna. The reactions of the participants on the presented results were very enthusiastic, in particular those on the FEED BASE software. After this session both the international coordinator and the chairman of the EAAP Nutrition Commission about the project were interviewed by the journal “Feed Tech”. This interview was published in their 1997 December (Volume 1, Number 4) issue. This activity, together with further demonstrations of the FEED BASE software will probably lead to a broader (marketing and) acceptance of this project by the international feed trade and industry. In particular when in July 1998 the EU directive on the circulation and use of feed materials comes into force.

XXIV. As indicated in the last Steering Committee May 1997, the secretary general of SCAN, invited the international coordinator to act as rapporteur of section II “Legislation and Control” of the by European Commission and European Parliament on 1 and 2 July 1997 organised scientific international conference on Meat and Bone Meal. This because the ENFIC secretary is still heavily involved in EU feed legislation and the EU Feed Data Base under construction in the future might play an important role in the further development, maintenance and control of current and future EU feed legislation. In his report to the conference, the ENFIC secretary e.g. has recommended to entrust SCAN with a feed data base and stimulate the development of an FAO/WHO CODEX ALIMENTARIUS ANIMALIUM.

XXV. During autumn/winter 1997/1998 the International Coordinator spent much time on contacts with the Commission concerning the request for extension of the CA AFN during 1998 (see annex I D for the proposed working scheme during the extension period).

3.2.5. REPORT OVER THE PERIOD MARCH 1998 – MARCH 2000

XXVI. The fourth year of the execution of this project was very disappointing. Most of the time spent on this project in 1998 existed of meetings from the international coordinator with the technical coordinator of the Commission service involved (VI F II.3) and correspondence with this service on a soon decision about and (later on) time shift in the extension. Furthermore the EAAP meetings in 1998 and 1999 were used to inform (and

5 ) From the local Feed Information Centres to the European one:Local Feed Information Centres will be chiefly responsible for the creation of new nomenclatures. They will be able to send their own consolidated data to the European FIC.

From the European Feed Information Centre to the local ones

The European nomenclatures and data will be maintained through a European version of FeedBase.

Periodically, the European nomenclatures and consolidated data will be down loaded (via Internet) to the local Feed Information

Centres using FeedBase20

decide about future strategy) the EAAP working group on Feed Information in Europe, to which also most members of the Steering Committee of this Concerted Action belong.

XXVII In September respectively November 1998 the scientific consultant (Mr. Tran) visited the Feed Information Centres in Spain (Cordoba) and The UK (Stratford upon Avon) to assist them in their attempts to comply with the EU FEED BASE software, developed in 1997.

XXVIII In December 1998, according the working scheme a meeting of databasemanagers of the proto type ENFIC was organised for 5 participating FIC’s database managers (UK, P, F, Esp, It) on instruction and of the handling of the common software, developed in 1996 and 1997 by the scientific support of this CA. The meeting was very useful, as it became clear that the Feed Industry in France, similar to those in The Netherlands and the UK, had big difficulties to provide just for free data to this Concerted Action or with other words to co-op (furtheron) in this project. In this meeting it was proposed to continue the project in particular as a governmental oriented project (instead as a co-production of industry and governments), supporting EU feed legislation both in its development as well as in its control. Data to the data base in the future should in particular be provided by the control organisations in the different Member States and be accessable via Internet. Furthermore it was decided to collect for the 152 feed materials from available EU feed tables compositional and bioavailibility data and calculate from this the different in the EU used Energy and Protein values as well as an averige to be used in FUM’s. Unfortunately this exercise could not be executed as the Commission service VI F II.3 remained end 1998 on her position that the CA AFN should be finished end 1998. As in the beginning of 1999 the (informal) reaction of other involved Commission services on verbal requests from the Dutch authorities (the official coordinator) that this project should be given the opportunity to be finished properly differed, however at the end of 1999 not yet a reaction was received on an official letter with such a request from the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Naturemanagement and Fisheries to DG VI, the Dutch authorities end 1999 in principle decided to stop further coordination of this Concerted Action on Animal Feed and Nutrition.

4. RESULTS

The results of this (CA so far) are:

preliminary final version of the Feed Data Management Masterplan drafted preliminary final versions of European Feed Data Base (FEED BASE software) preliminary final versions of (inventory of) Baseline Data on Chemical Analyses and Bio

availability parameters drafted

5. DISCUSSION

5.1 Scientific significance of the work:

At the end of 1997 the CA Animal Feed and Nutrition still seemed to gain in sympathy and support. Officials and governmental experts from all EU Member States (and M a E Europe) fully supported its execution whilst the sceptic sounds from the (compound feed industry) at that time also seemed less. This growing support and sympathy probably were caused by the fact that the project in 1995 indeed was started and begun to show its first results. Furthermore, the developments in electronic communication via internet made the possibilities of and access to these kind of international databases much more clearer and visible for every body. Also the necessety for the animal feed and nutrition research to phocus stronger on international cooperation and funding leads to a growing interest for this project in the scientific world. However, the project was judged as very complex and ambitious, but worthwhile to undertake. In particular the harmonization of data on bioavailability, was estimated as very difficult and should deserve through its sensibility special attention. However a pragmatic way to solve this problem is the incorporation of all in the EU used feed evaluation systems in the common

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European Feed Data Base which probably in the longer run than automatically will lead to a reduction of the amount of systems and move to a common system. A start to such a common approach was foreseen during the proto type ENFIC testing period (1998), when for EU statistical purposes, conversion factors were planned to be developed to enable the conversion of the different included Member State energy and protein values of feeds to common EU Feed Utilization Matrices (FUM) energy and protein values.

5.2 Whether the objectives and expected benefits can still be fully achieved:

At the end of 1997 it was expected that the objectives and expected benefits still could be achieved. In particular the central development of the Feed Data Management Package and its testing in a proto type of Network of Feed Information Centres seemed feasable. Of course it was foreseen that participation in a (proto type) network/implementation of the FDMMP in Member States strongly depends on the people responsible for- and charged with the participation/implementation of/in the different Member States. However, because MS governments play a decisive role in (re)appointing their official Feed Information Centres, it was supposed that all Members of the Steering Committee of this CA (being all governmental employees)have sufficient means to ensure the participation of the official appointed FIC’s of

their respective respective countries6).In this way a continuous (in principle free) supply of feed data to the (proto type) European Network of Feed Information Centres seemed to be ensured.At the end of 1997 to the opinion of most participants the European Commission should be the Institution which at least for the coming five years should guarantee at least the coordination costs of the European Network of Feed Information Centres to be started at the end of this project period (1998). However it was not foreseen that it was impossible for the Commission to extend to 1999 the AFN project as requested, making it impossible to finish this project properly. This means that the European Network of Feed Information Centres not will be established as planned when this Concerted Action started. Therefore the main products delivered are a non tested empty FEED BASE SOFTWARE PACKAGE and a draft description of the ESTABLISHMENT OF A FEED INFORMATION CENTRE IN A COUNTRY INCLUDING ITS TECHNICAL/ORGANIZATIONAL ENVIRONMENT.

5.3 External developments which may affect the work:

Due to the recent dioxin crises in the EU feed sector, the authorities (Commission and governments of Member States) have announced a set of legislative measurements in the feed/food sector which should guarantee food safety in the future. Amoungst these measures are (1) a better control of undesirable substances and products in feed materials (2) a possible introduction of a positive list of feed materials and (3) a sharper control on the compliance with EU feed legislation. All these measurements can only be executed properly if in the years to come an EU Feed Data Base will be established. A Data Base in which in particular all the feed materials are included, complete with their names, description and (chem.) composition as far as necessary for their right identification. Besides, all the existing undesirable substances and products should be included and the right cross links be made. This database in particular will serve as the (feed safety) anchor in the animal feed sector, both for primary agriculture, industry/trade as well as for the authorities in their legislative and control tasks. The results of this (uncompleted) CA probably can well be used for the preparation and set up of above mentioned EU feed Data Base. Furthermore it can be concluded that in particular the BSE and

6 ) The society and in particular the agricultural industry e.g. for economical (and environmental) reason is interested in reliable up to date information on marketed/circulated feeds. According to e.g. Council Directives 96/25/EC and 79/373/EEC, EU governments are obliged to control given information on marketed/circulated feeds. Above mentioned involved parties in Member States sooner or later will realise that the establishment of/cooperation in an official MS Feed Information Centre with a central feed data base is a very effective and facilitating tool to realise both the provision of reliable feed information by the industry and its control by governments. Bearing this in mind, one may conclude that the establishment of such official recognized MS FIC’s probably is a question of time and that there are at least some official governmental predecessors (governmental feed control and/or research institutes/labaratories) which so long may function as the preliminary official recognized MS Feed Information Centre. These preliminary FIC’s from their control and/or research activities also have the disposal of up to date and reliable feed data!

22

dioxine crises have forced the EU authorities to a stronger integration of feed information in the EU feed legislative infrastructure/network and bring it better under their (public) control. One of the aims of this Concerted Action.Encouraging is further the establishment of a FAO/WHO task force which has been charged with the examination and possible establishment of a FAO/WHO Code for Good Feeding Practice. It is estimated that the work done in this Concerted Action may facilitate this worldwide activity. In that case this ENFIC project has contributed to the INFIC aim that to increase the global food supply both quantitatively and qualitatively, the animal production sector needs easy on line access to up date and reliable feed information.

6. DISSEMINATION

This endreport (plus products) will be sent to the Commission and the participants. Furthermore it will be disseminated via the ENFIC/INFIC Internet home page (www.wxs.nl/~enfic).

7. CONCLUSION

The CA AFN unfortunately has not been given the opportunity to be finished properly according agreed working scheme. However, through recent developments in the EU animal feed sector, stronger feed legislative measures are underway. This probably will enforce the governmental driven and controlled feed legislative network, where an EU feed Data Base, to which the data probably will be delivered by the control authorities in the Member States, will play a substantial role. Assuming that the EU authorities in such an exercise decide to use (elements of) the results of this project, this Concerted Action on “Animal Feed and Nutrition” has been of relevance.

8. POSSIBLE ACTION IN 2000

To finish this project in a relative satisfying way and in line with in the Commision’s Whitebook announced feed legislative measures, it is proposed to the Commission to spend the left financial means of this CA (in total still 125.000 euro) for the preparation/development of an EU Data Base of feed materials and undesirable products and substances in feed materials. Such a Data Base should be developed by an institute already involved in this matter and could use the developed EU FEED BASE software of this Concerted Action.If such a (complementory) project should be started in April 2000, it is estimated that by the end of 2000 such a Data Base could be operational. It is of course important that simultaneous to a positive decision about the development of such an EU Feed Data Base also adequate attention should be paid to the (availibility of budgets for the) operation after 2000.

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ANNEX I AWORKING SCHEME OF THE CONCERTED ACTION

"ANIMAL FEED AND NUTRITION" 1995 - 1998

ACTIVITY PERIOD MONTH/YEARa. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING GOVERNING, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF-STEERING COMMITTEE-PROJECT GROUP-COORDINATING SECRETARIATGOVERNING AND MANAGING ACTIONS LEADING TO AN EC/EUROPEAN FEED INFORMATION NETWORK

2/95 - 2/982/95;2/96;2/979/95;9/96;9/972/95-2/98

b. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING TECHNICAL MATTERS

WORKSHOP ABOUT FEED IDENTIFICATION -NAMING -DESCRIPTION -INTERNATIONAL FEED NUMBERINGRESULTING IN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT ABOUT THESE MATTERS

2/95 - 2/96 3/95;5/95;8/9511/95;2/96

WORKSHOP ABOUT BASELINE DATA OF FEED EVALUATION

-CHEMICAL/PHYSICAL PARAMETERS TO BE CONSIDERED-METHODS TO DETERMINE CHEMICAL/PHYSICAL PARAMETERS-STANDARDIZATION OF MEASURABLE UNITSRESULTING IN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT ABOUT THESE MATTERS

2/95 - 9/95 4/95;6/95

c. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING FEED DATA MANAGEMENT AND UNIFORM DISSEMINATION OF FEED INFORMATION

1.WORKSHOP RESULTING IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL FEED DATA MANAGEMENT MASTERPLAN DESCRIBING: - FEED IDENTIFICATION - FEED DATA RECORDING - FEED DATA PROCESSING - FEED DATA DISSEMINATION - ORGANIZATIONAL AND TECHNICAL SET UP OF

A FEED INFORMATION CENTRE AND ITS FEED DATA BASE

2.DEVELOPMENT OF A FEED DATA MANAGEMENT PACKAGE (FDMMP)

3.INTRODUCTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF FDMMP IN MEMBER STATES

2/95 - 2/96

2/96 - 9/96

9/96 - 2/98

9/96 - 2/98

3/95;6/95;10/95;1/96

2/96 - 9/96

9/96 - 2/98

9/96 - 2/98

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4.ELECTRONIC FEED DATA EXCHANGE IN A PRO-TYPE OF AN EUROPEAN NETWORK OF FEED INFORMATION CENTRES (ENFIC)

5.PROVISION OF A GENERAL OUTLINE FOR A SUSTAINABLE ENFIC

2/95 - 11/954/95;10/95

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ANNEX IBAMENDED WORKING SCHEME OF THE CONCERTED ACTION

"ANIMAL FEED AND NUTRITION" 1996 - 1998ACTIVITY PERIOD MONTH/YEAR

a. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING GOVERNING, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF-STEERING COMMITTEE-PROJECT GROUP-COORDINATING SECRETARIAT

GOVERNING AND MANAGING ACTIONS LEADING TO AN EC/EUROPEAN FEED INFORMATION NETWORK

4/96-2/989/96;9/975-9/96;9/974/96-2/98

b. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING TECHNICAL MATTERS

WORKSHOP ABOUT FEED IDENTIFICATION

-NAMING -DESCRIPTION -INTERNATIONAL FEED NUMBERINGRESULTING IN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT ABOUT THESE MATTERS

4/96 - 10/96 4/96 OR 5/96

WORKSHOP ABOUT BASELINE DATA OF FEED EVALUATION

-CHEMICAL/PHYSICAL PARAMETERS TO BE CONSIDERED -METHODS TO DETERMINE CHEMICAL/PHYSICAL PARAMETERS -STANDARDIZATION OF MEASURABLE UNITSRESULTING IN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT ABOUT THESE MATTERS

4/96 - 10/96 5/96;6/96 AND 10/96

c. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING FEED DATA MANAGEMENT AND UNIFORM DISSEMINATION OF FEED INFORMATION

1.WORKSHOP RESULTING IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL FEED DATA MANAGEMENT MASTERPLAN DESCRIBING: - FEED IDENTIFICATION - FEED DATA RECORDING - FEED DATA PROCESSING - FEED DATA DISSEMINATION - ORGANIZATIONAL AND TECHNICAL SET UP OF

A FEED INFORMATION CENTRE AND ITS FEED DATA BASE

2.DEVELOPMENT OF A FEED DATA MANAGEMENT PACKAGE (FDMMP)

3.INTRODUCTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF

4/96 - 10/96

2/96 - 9/96

9/96 - 2/98

9/96 - 2/98

4/96 AND 6/96

6/96 - 12/96

1/97 - 2/98

9/96 - 2/98

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FDMMP IN MEMBER STATES

4.ELECTRONIC FEED DATA EXCHANGE IN A PRO-TYPE OF AN EUROPEAN NETWORK OF FEED INFORMATION CENTRES (ENFIC)

5.PROVISION OF A GENERAL OUTLINE FOR A SUSTAINABLE ENFIC

4/96 - 12/96 4-5/96 and 11/96

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ANNEX ICAMENDED WORKING SCHEME OF THE CONCERTED ACTION

"ANIMAL FEED AND NUTRITION" 1997 - 1998ACTIVITY PERIOD MONTH/YEAR

I. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING GOVERNING, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

OPERATION OF-STEERING COMMITTEE-PROJECT GROUP-COORDINATING SECRETARIAT

GOVERNING AND MANAGING ACTIONS LEADING TO AN EU/EUROPEAN FEED INFORMATION NETWORK

5/97-12/985/97;9/9808/97 or 12/97ALL MONTHS IN PERIOD 5/97-12/98

II. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING UNIFORM FEED DATA MANAGEMENT AND FEED DATA EXCHANGE

1.COMPLETION OF THE FIRST VERSION OF THE EUROPEAN FEED DATA MANAGEMENT PACKAGE (EFDMMP)

2.ELECTRONIC FEED DATA EXCHANGE IN A PROTO-TYPE OF AN EUROPEAN NETWORK OF FEED INFORMATION CENTRES (ENFIC)

3.INTRODUCTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EFDMMP IN MEMBER STATES

4.MEETINGS OF DESIGNATED EXPERTS OF FIC’S, PARTICIPATING IN PROTO TYPE OF ENFIC ABOUT UPGRADING OF THE DIFFERENT CHAPTERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL FEED DATA MANAGEMENT MASTERPLAN DESCRIBING: A.ORGANIZATIONAL AND TECHNICAL SET UP OF

A FEED INFORMATION CENTRE AND ITS FEED DATA BASE

B.THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF FEED DATA MANAGEMENT- FEED IDENTIFICATION- FEED DATA RECORDING- FEED DATA SELECTION/VALIDATION- FEED DATA PROCESSING- FEED DATA DISSEMINATION 5.MEETINGS OF DESIGNATED EXPERTS OF FIC’S, PARTICIPATING IN PROTO TYPE OF ENFIC ABOUT UPGRADING OF THE SOFTWARE IN THE EUROPEAN FEED DATA MANAGEMENT PACKAGE (EFDMMP) INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF FACTORS, ENABLING THE CONVERSION OF THE DIFFERENT ENERGY AND PROTEIN VALUES INTO

4-97-7/97

7/97-12/98

5/97-12/98

7/97-12/98

7/97-10/98

7/97 -

ALL MONTHS IN PERIOD 4/97-7/97

ALL MONTHS IN PERIOD 7/97-12/98

ALL MONTHS IN PERIOD 5/97-12/98

9/97;11/97;1/98,5/98; 9/98

11/97; 5/98 (see also 4)

12/98

27

(FUM)EU ENERGY/PROTEIN VALUES.

6.PRESENTATION OF THE FINAL VERSION OF THE EUROPEAN FEED DATA MANAGEMENT PACKAGE AND START OF THE EUROPEAN NETWORK OF FEED INFORMATION CENTRES (ENFIC)

7.MEETINGS OF PROJECT GROUP ON THE PROVISION OF A GENERAL OUTLINE FOR A SUSTAINABLE ENFIC, RESULTING IN A NEW PROJECT PROPOSAL “ENFIC 1998- 2003"

12/988/97 and 12/97

ANNEX IDDETAILED 1998 WORK PROGRAMME OF THE CONCERTED ACTION

"ANIMAL FEED AND NUTRITION"

ACTIVITY PERIOD MONTH/YEARI. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING GOVERNING, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

OPERATION OF-STEERING COMMITTEE-PROJECT GROUP-COORDINATING SECRETARIAT

GOVERNING AND MANAGING ACTIONS LEADING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EU/EUROPEAN FEED INFORMATION NETWORK END 1998

1/98-12/989/9802/98 AND 09/98ALL MONTHS IN PERIOD 01-12/98

II. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING UNIFORM FEED DATA MANAGEMENT AND FEED DATA EXCHANGE

1.ELECTRONIC FEED DATA EXCHANGE IN A PROTO-TYPE OF AN EUROPEAN NETWORK OF FEED INFORMATION CENTRES (ENFIC)

2.INTRODUCTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EFDMMP IN MEMBER STATES

3.MEETINGS OF DESIGNATED EXPERTS OF FIC’S,

PARTICIPATING IN PROTO TYPE OF ENFIC ABOUT INSTRUCTION/UPGRADING OF THE FEED BASE SOFTWARE

4.MEETING OF SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT WITH EXPERTS OF DESIGNATED FICS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELECTION/VALIDATION CRITERIA OF DATA TO BE SUPPLIED BY FIC’s

5.MEETINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT WITH

1/98-12/98

1/98-12/98

1/98-12/98

1/98-04/98

1/98-07/98

ALL MONTHS IN PERIOD 7/97-12/98

ALL MONTHS IN PERIOD 01-12/98

1/98,3/98/7/98 9/98,11/98

2/98

2/98,4/98,6/98

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EXPERTS OF DESIGNATED FICS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF FACTORS, ENABLING THE CONVERSION OF THE DIFFERENT ENERGY AND PROTEIN VALUES INTO (FUM)EU ENERGY/PROTEIN VALUES.

6.MEETINGS OF DESIGNATED PARTICIPANTS/EXPERTS OF FIC’S, PARTICIPATING IN PROTO TYPE OF ENFIC ABOUT UPGRADING OF THE DIFFERENT CHAPTERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL FEED DATA MANAGEMENT MASTER PLAN

7.MEETINGS OF PROJECT GROUP ON THE PROVISION OF A GENERAL OUTLINE FOR A SUSTAINABLE ENFIC, RESULTING IN A NEW PROJECT PROPOSAL “ENFIC 1998- 2003"

8.PRESENTATION OF THE FINAL VERSION OF THE EUROPEAN FEED DATA MANAGEMENT PACKAGE AND START OF THE EUROPEAN NETWORK OF FEED INFORMATION CENTRES (ENFIC)

1/98-12/98

1/98-12/98

2/98,9/98

2/98,4/98 AND 7/98

11/98 or 12/98

ANNEX IEDETAILED 1998/99 WORK PROGRAMME OF THE CONCERTED ACTION

"ANIMAL FEED AND NUTRITION"ACTIVITY PERIOD MONTH/YEAR

I. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING GOVERNING, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

OPERATION OF-STEERING COMMITTEE-PROJECT GROUP-COORDINATING SECRETARIAT

GOVERNING AND MANAGING ACTIONS LEADING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EU/EUROPEAN FEED INFORMATION NETWORK END 1998

10/98-10/99

07/9912/98 AND 07/99ALL MONTHS IN PERIOD 10/98-10/99

II. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING UNIFORM FEED DATA MANAGEMENT AND FEED DATA EXCHANGE

1. ELECTRONIC FEED DATA EXCHANGE IN A PROTO-TYPE OF AN EUROPEAN NETWORK OF FEED INFORMATION CENTRES (ENFIC)

2. INTRODUCTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EFDMMP IN MEMBER STATES

3. MEETINGS OF DESIGNATED EXPERTS OF FIC’S, PARTICIPATING IN PROTO TYPE OF ENFIC ABOUT INSTRUCTION/UPGRADING OF THE FEED BASE

10/98-10/99

10/98-10/99

10/98-10/99

ALL MONTHS IN PERIOD 10/98-10/99

ALL MONTHS IN PERIOD 10/98-10/99

10/98,12/98/4/99 6/99,09/99

29

SOFTWARE

4. MEETING OF SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT WITH EXPERTS OF DESIGNATED FICS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELECTION/VALIDATION CRITERIA OF DATA TO BE SUPPLIED BY FIC’s

5. MEETINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT WITH EXPERTS OF DESIGNATED FICS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF FACTORS, ENABLING THE CONVERSION OF THE DIFFERENT ENERGY AND PROTEIN VALUES INTO (FUM)EU ENERGY/PROTEIN VALUES.

6. MEETINGS OF DESIGNATED PARTICIPANTS/EXPERTS OF FIC’S, PARTICIPATING IN PROTO TYPE OF ENFIC ABOUT UPGRADING OF THE DIFFERENT CHAPTERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL FEED DATA MANAGEMENT MASTER PLAN

7. MEETINGS OF PROJECT GROUP ON THE PROVISION OF A GENERAL OUTLINE FOR A SUSTAINABLE ENFIC, RESULTING IN A NEW

PROJECT PROPOSAL “ENFIC 1999- 2004"

8. PRESENTATION OF THE FINAL VERSION OF THE EUROPEAN FEED DATA MANAGEMENT PACKAGE AND START OF THE EUROPEAN NETWORK OF FEED INFORMATION CENTRES (ENFIC)

10/98-01/99

1/98-07/98

10/98-10/99

10/98-10/99

11/98

11/98,01/99,03/99

12/98,06/99

11/98,01/99 AND 04/99

08/99 or 09/99

AD I. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING GOVERNING, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

Also in 1998/99 the extended Concerted Action “Animal Feed and Nutrition” will be governed, managed and administrated as described in the original technical annex.

AD II. ACTIVITIES CONCERNING UNIFORM FEED DATA MANAGEMENT AND FEED DATA EXCHANGE

a. In October 1998 the proto-type network will start with a meeting for the (5-8) participating FIC’s database managers on instruction and of the handling of the common software, developed in 1996 and 1997 by the scientific support of this CA. This meeting will be repeated four times during 1998/1999, to discuss and solve the problems found during the testing period in this software. These meetings are indispensable to bring autumn 1999 a full tested European Feed Base software programme on the “market”;

b. A sensible point in the total system is the selection and validation of the data to be supplied by the participating FIC’s and to be included in the system. For this reason a mini group existing of the scientific

30

support and experts from four Member States autumn 1998 will set up the selection and validation criteria for the (chemical and bio availability data of the) different feedings stuffs to be included in the database;

c. Also in autumn 1998/winter 1998/99 three meetings will be organised of the scientific support with experts of designated FICs on the development and implementation of factors, enabling the conversion of the different energy and protein values into (FUM)EU energy/protein values;

d. In order to have autumn 1999 a final version of the Feed Data Management MASTER PLAN ready for publication, two meetings in 1999 will be organised of secretariat and experts from four designated FICs to amend the current version. Based on their experience of both establishing/ running a FIC in their respective countries as well as their experience in the proto type ENFIC network, they must be capable to end up with a well balanced applicable edition.

The scientific support in 1998/99 will have the following additional subtasks:

1. integration of the inventory work on bioavailibility data into the Feed Base Software, so that all the feed evaluation systems in use in the EU countries are included in Feed Base;

2. making a proposal for the construction of a common European Feed Value both for energy and protein for the different animal species for the 153 feeds included in Feed Base: this activity includes the establishment of conversion factors enabling the conversion of the different country feed evaluation units into the European Feed Values for energy and protein for the different animal species;

3. developing of a set of parameters to enable the easy conversion of the country Feed Utilization Matrices into a common EU FUM format on basis of common European Feed Values for energy and protein for the different animal species;

4. amending, if appropriate, the Feed Base software;

5. giving technical assistance to the introduction of Feed Base in all EU Member States, in particular the attachment of the European window to the different existing databases.

ANNEX IF: FINAL FINANCIAL STATE OF THE ART EU CA “ANIMAL FEED AND NUTRITION” (IN EURO)

(MARCH 2000)

1995-1998Total

project(contract)

1995(accepted)

1996(accepted)

1997(accepted)

1998/2000(reported)

1995-2000Total project

Labour 97500 5517 24500 22250 8542 60809

Exchange and 145000 21225 17303 14013 18005 70546

31

mobility

Support services

67500 12267 16091 4890 20485 53733

Other costs 452

Overheads

Total 310000 39009 57894 41605 47032 185540

Received from the Commission

100000 39009 57894 41605 238508

Balance: 3097 -2596 10862 41605 52968

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33

ANNEX II: PARTICIPANTS EXPERTISE - ROLE

PARTICIPANTS:

1) IR B. COTTYNTEL: 32 9 252 26 01FAX: 32 9 252 52 78

Mr. Cottyn, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist, is in charge of the FEED EVALUATION UNIT of the RIJKSSTATION VEEVOEDING at MELLE GONTRODE, BELGIUM. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in BELGIUM.

2) DR T. HVELPLUNDTEL: 45 89 99 19 00FAX: 45 89 99 13 00

Mr. HVELPLUND, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist, is in charge with animal nutrition research of NIAS RESEARCH CENTER FOULUM AT TJELE, DENMARK . He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in DENMARK.

3) PROF G. FLACHOWSKYTEL: 49 531 59 64 33FAX: 49 531 59 63 76

Mr. FLACHOWSKY, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist, is head of the ANIMAL NUTRITION INSTITUTE of FAL, BRAUNSCHWEIG, GERMANY. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in GERMANY.

4) DR. P. ZOIOPOULOSTEL: 30 1 281 94 35FAX: 30 1 823 07 30

Mr. ZOIOPOULOS, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist, is in charge of feed research at N.A.R.F./I.T.A.P. in LYKOVRISSI, GREECE. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in GREECE.

5) DR D. GALVEZ MORROSTEL: 34 1 549 79 78FAX: 34 1 549 97 63

Mr. GALVEZ MORROS is senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist of the ESCUELA TÈCNICA SUPERIOR INGENIEROS AGRÓNOMOS, MADRID, SPAIN. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in SPAIN.

6) PROF. D. SAUVANTTEL: 33 1 43 37 45 10FAX: 33 1 44 08 18 53

Mr. SAUVANT, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist, is head of the INRA FEED EVALUATION LABORATORY in PARIS, FRANCE. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in FRANCE.

7) DR J. MURPHY31

TEL: 353 25 3 14 22FAX: 353 25 3 17 28

Mr. MURPHY, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist, is in charge with feed evaluation at TEAGASK MOOREPARK RESEARCH CENTRE, FERMOY, COUNTY CORK, IRELAND. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in IRELAND.

8) PROF. P. SUSMELTEL: 39 432 66 08 10FAX: 39 432 66 06 14

Mr. SUSMEL, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist, is head of the ANIMAL PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT of the UNIVERSITY OF UDINE, UDINE, ITALY. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in ITALY.

9) DR R. MEYERSTEL: 352 81 21 09FAX: 352 81 62 16

Mr. MEYERS, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist is head of the FEED CONTROL LABORATORY in ETTELBRÜCK, LUXEMBOURG. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in LUXEMBOURG.

10)DR Y. VAN DER HONINGTEL: 31 320 29 32 11FAX: 31 320 23 73 20

Mr. VAN DER HONING, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist, is head of the DEPARTMENT OF PIG AND POULTRY NUTRITION of the ID-DLO at LELYSTAD, THE NETHERLANDS. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in THE NETHERLANDS. Mr. v.d. Honing is also President of the Nutrition Commission of the EAAP, and as such an important liaison officer to the other European Countries.

11) DR H. WüRZNERTEL: 44 178 926 67 04FAX: 44 178 941 56 67

Mr. WüRZNER, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist is head of the FEED CONTROL LABORATORY in VIENNA, AUSTRIA. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in AUSTRIA.

12)PROF. J.M.C. RAMALHO RIBEIROTEL: 351 43 76 02 03FAX: 351 43 76 05 40

Mr. RAMALHO RIBEIRO, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist, is head of the ANIMAL NUTRITION DEPARTMENT OF THE ESTACO ZOOTECHNICA NATIONAL AT FONTE BOA, PORTUGAL. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in PORTUGAL.

13)PROF. DR P. HUTANENTEL: 44 178 926 67 04FAX: 44 178 941 56 67

32

Mr.HUTANEN, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist, is professor in Animal Nutrition at the Institute of Animal Production, Agriculture Research Centre, JOKIONEN, FINLAND. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in FINLAND.

14) MR. S. WIDELLTEL: 46 36 15 58 12FAX: 46 36 19 05 46

Mr. WIDELL, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist, is agronoom at the Feed control Section of Jordbruksverket (Swedish Board of Agriculture, Division for Animal Production and Management) at JÖNKÖPING, SWEDEN. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in SWEDEN.

15)DR D.I. GIVENSTEL: 44 178 926 67 04FAX: 44 178 941 56 67

Mr. GIVENS, senior animal feed and nutrition (research) scientist, is head of the ADAS' FEED EVALUATION UNIT at STRATFORD - UPON - AVON, UNITED KINGDOM. He is responsible for the participation of his Institute in this Concerted Action and will strongly stimulate the implementation of its results in the UNITED KINGDOM.

COORDINATOR:

IR N. BENEDICTUSTEL: 31 320 23 18 19FAX: 31 320 23 18 19

Mr. BENEDICTUS, senior animal feed and nutrition officer, is in charge of the SECRETARIAT of the INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF FEED INFORMATION CENTRES at LELYSTAD/BRUSSELS, THE NETHERLANDS/BELGIUM. He is the international coordinator of this Concerted Action.

SCIENTIFIC CONSULTANT 1998:

MR G.TRANTEL: 33 144 08 18 08FAX: 33 144 08 18 53

ADVISORS:

MR. J. THIBEAUX/ DR. J. PEREZ LANZACDG VI, B II 1TEL: 32 295 31 40FAX: 32 296 59 63

MR. F. PRÉVOSTDG VI, C.2TEL: 32 295 67 30FAX: 32 296 60 21

33