By Directive 94/39/EC2, the Commission established a list of intended uses of animal feedingstuffs for particular nutritional purposes.

In its opinion of 8 December 2004 the European Food Safety Authority (the Authority) concluded that zeolite (synthetic sodium aluminium silicate) has the potential of reducing the risk of milk fever in dairy cows3. However, it could not fully assess the risk for animal and human health due to missing data. Taking into account the additional information received, the Authority concluded in its opinion of 11 July 2007 that adding zeolite to feedingstuffs for dairy cows for a period of about two weeks before calving does not pose a risk to animal or human health or to the environment4. Zeolite should therefore be included in the line ‘reduction of the risk of milk fever’ in the list of intended uses in Part B of the Annex to Directive 94/39/EC.

In its opinion of 12 June 2007 the Authority concluded that feedingstuffs with high calcium content administered around parturition can be very effective in treating mild cases of milk fever and in preventing relapses in dairy cattle and therefore that a new entry should be added to the list concerning the prevention of the risk of milk fever5. The Authority further concluded that a marginal risk for animal health cannot be completely excluded making it necessary to balance the individual risk against the overall benefits of the administration. In order to allow the dairy herd manager such assessment, the different sources of calcium should be indicated on the label together with their quantity. Further, the label should include a recommendation to seek advice of a nutritional expert. The Authority neither expects a risk for the consumer nor an additional risk for the environment. Feedingstuffs with high calcium content should therefore be included in the line ‘reduction of the risk of milk fever’ in the list of intended uses in Part B of the Annex to Directive 94/39/EC.