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Protein supplements from ruminants may not be fed back to ruminants to prevent the spread of ___

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Final answer:

Protein supplements from ruminants are banned from being fed back to ruminants to prevent transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, such as BSE or mad cow disease. The prions causing these diseases are not destroyed by normal digestion, making this measure critical for health safety.

Step-by-step explanation:

Protein supplements from ruminants may not be fed back to ruminants to prevent the spread of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), such as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease. Feeding ruminant-derived protein supplements back to ruminants was a common practice in the past, which led to the recycling of the disease through the food chain. The prions responsible for TSEs are not destroyed through normal cooking or digestion processes, making this prohibition crucial in protecting both animal and human health.

The final answer to this question: Protein supplements from ruminants may not be fed back to ruminants to prevent the spread of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies like mad cow disease. A two-line explanation is: The ban on feeding ruminant-derived supplements to ruminants mitigates the risk of recycling diseases through the food chain because the prions that cause TSEs can survive cooking and digestion.

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