Dried Blood-Rumen Content Mixtures as Sustainable Poultry Feed: A Review on Nutritional, Economic, and Environmental Potential.

Poultry is an important subsector in Ethiopia that contributes to food security, nutrition, and rural livelihoods. However, the high cost and limited availability of conventional feed ingredients, such as soybean meal and fishmeal, remain major issues. This review evaluates the potential of dried blood-rumen content mixture (DBRCM) as a sustainable, cost-effective alternative feed source for Ethiopian poultry farms. Derived from abattoir by-products, DBRCM offers a high-protein (up to 80% crude protein) and fiber-rich supplement that enhances growth performance, feed efficiency, and carcass quality in poultry. Ethiopia's poultry sector faces unique challenges, including feed scarcity (70% of production costs), reliance on imported feed ingredients, and poor waste management in slaughterhouses. Integrating DBRCM into poultry diets could reduce feed costs by 15%-30%, repurpose 1.2 million tons of annual abattoir waste, and align with circular economy principles. However, challenges such as palatability, processing safety, and optimal inclusion levels (5%-10% for broilers, 3%-7% for layers) require further research. This review synthesizes existing literature on DBRCM's nutritional benefits, economic viability, and environmental advantages, while identifying knowledge gaps specific to Ethiopia. We recommend policy support for by-product valorization, investment in local processing technologies, and farmer training to facilitate adoption. By reducing dependence on costly imports and improving waste recycling, DBRCM can enhance poultry productivity and sustainability.