Bloody Trade: Use of Slaughtered Animals’ Blood in Agriculture

In the nineteenth century, industrialised countries started using Peruvian guano as a fertiliser to meet the agricultural needs of their growing populations, but the material was almost depleted within a few decades due to excessive demand. The search for alternative fertilisers with a high nitrogen content led to manure production from organic urban waste, including animal blood. The agricultural use of blood as manure deserves closer study, since it is a vital substance that was obtained through the mass slaughter of animals. This article argues that blood manure represents a striking case of human domination and exploitation of other species. By examining the attempts at agricultural use of animal blood in industrialised countries and the Ottoman Empire, the article focuses on the dynamics involved in its commodification and aims to contribute to discussions on the emergence of the fertiliser industry, transformations in agricultural production and the changing relations between humans and animals.