Chicken Feather Meal Research Articles

Nutritional regulation of keratinolytic activity in Bacillus pumilis

Bacillus pumilis F3-4 utilized feather as a sole source of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur. Supplementation of the feather medium with glucose or MgSO(4) . 7H(2)O increased keratinolytic protease production (14.6-16.7 U/mg). The synthesis of keratinolytic protease was repressed by an exogenous nitrogen source. Keratinolytic protease was produced in the absence of feather (9.4 U/mg). Feather degradation resulted in sulfhydryl group formation (0.8-2.6 microM). B. pumilis F3-4 effectively degraded chicken feather (75%), duck feather (81%) and feather meal (97%), whereas human nails, human hair and sheep wool under went less degradation (9-15%).

Studies on the Amino Acid and Vitamin Composition of Feather Meal

Considerable interest has developed in the use of chicken feather meal as a potential source of protein for feed use. Binkley and Vasak (1950), and Mayer (1955) have described a method for the production of a friable feather meal in a dry-rendering type cooker. This type of process is now in general use for the production of feather meal, and samples of such material have been used by Wilder, Ostby and Gregory (1955) in experimental chick rations. These feeding tests have indicated that feather meal is a valuable supplement when used with meat and bone scrap in a practical type ration. Since the feather meal in itself did not appear to be a complete protein for feed use, it was of importance to determine its amino acid and vitamin composition.Analysis of feather protein was reported by Block (1939), and by Graham, Waitkoff and Hier (1949). These analyses were, however, …

The Use of Chicken Feather Meal in Feeds

CHICKEN feather meal represents a large potential source of protein for feed use. The volume of dry feathers available annually at processing plants has been estimated as in excess of 50,000 tons. Feathers are almost pure protein which, if made available for feed use, could do much to supply amino acids in poultry diets.Block (1939) analyzed feather protein and found it to contain large amounts of glycine, cystine, arginine, and phenylalanine. Similar data on arginine, cystine, and phenylalanine were reported by Graham, Waitkoff and Hier (1949). Routh (1942) studied the nutritive value of powdered chicken feathers and reported that the protein supported moderate growth in young rats when it was supplemented with tryptophan, methionine, lysine, and histidine. Newell and Elvehjem (1947) studied the nutritive value of feathers along with other keratin proteins and reported that, in general, the rate of growth of chicks and rats fed the keratin proteins …