Oak processionary Oak processionary The oak processionary "(Thaumetopoea processionea)" is a moth whose caterpillars can be found in oak forests. They are a human irritant because of their venomous setae (hairs), which can cause skin irritation and asthma. The moths are widely distributed in central and southern Europe, and are occasionally found as far north as Sweden. In the southern countries of Europe the populations are controlled by natural predators, but these predators do not exist in northern Europe. Their range is expanding northward, possibly or partly as a result of global warming. The moth now has an established population in the
Chelates in animal nutrition to environmental concerns during the 1980s and 1990s, especially in Europe .Opinion of the Scientific Committee for Animal Nutrition on the use of zinc in feedingstuffs]. The European Union is concerned about possible detrimental effects of excess supplementation with trace minerals on the environment or human and animal health, and so in 2003 legislated a reduction in permitted feed concentrations of several trace metals (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn). Research in trace element nutrition has led to the development of more bioavailable organic minerals, including trace minerals derived from chelates. Chelates allow a lower supplementation rate of trace minerals