Development of an Environmentally Friendly Biofertilizer with Keratin Degrading and Antibiotic Producing Actinomycetes

Abstract

Currently used chemical treatment of the keratinous material is the preferred method of poultry waste disposal in Australia, however it is costly, and environmental pollution problems from the chemical leachates as well as the poor nutritional quality of the end-product render this method undesirable. As the microbial community of the composting cycles have been reported to reduce the odours and pathogens of the domestic animal waste, local industries look for improved technologies of biological origin to treat poultry manure, carcasses and feather. This study reports on an alternative method utilizing the degradative abilities of the actinomycetes in a composting system developed specifically to break down recalcitrant material and to produce a cleaner and pathogen-free endproduct with particular reference to waste usage and disposal on the Sunshine Coast Region in Queensland, Australia. Keratinolytic actinomycetes from a local poultry farm environment were isolated and used to augment the compost microflora. The inclusion of the organisms into poultry waste compost was successful in producing an odourless, pathogen free product with complete biological degradation of the feather waste in 17 days. The application of this system may improve the rapid disposal of poultry waste aswell as the public and environmental health in the Region.