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FeatherMeal
FeatherMeal:ItsNutritionalValueAndUseInDairyAnd
BeefRations
Author/s:NevilleJ.Chandler
(10110) (6)
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ThefollowingarticleisaspecialcollaborationfromAFMA(AnimalFeedManufacturers
Association)www.afma.co.za
Wethanktheirkindsupport.
FeathersTheRawMaterial
TheAmericanAssociationofFeedControlOfficials(AAFCO)definesHydrolysedPoultry
Feathersastheproductresultingfromthetreatmentunderpressureofclean,undecomposed
feathersfromslaughteredpoultry,freeofadditivesandoraccelerators.Notlessthan75%of
itscrudeproteincontentmustbedigestiblebythepepsindigestibilitymethod.
Thereareover1milliontonnesoffeathersproducedeachyearintheU.S.andasthe
consumptionofpoultrymeatincreasessowilltheproductionofthisvaluablerawmaterial.
Feathershaveaproteincontentofaround84percentanddoesnotsufferfromthe
disadvantagesofantinutritionalfactors,suchastannins,glucosinolates,lectinsandtrypsin
inhibitingfactors.Howeverrawfeathersarerelativelyinsolubleandhaveaverylowdigestibility
offivepercentduetothehighkeratincontentandthestrongdisulphidebondingoftheamino
acids.Fortunatelywiththecontrolledtechnologyavailabletoustoday,weareabletoconverta
relativelyinsolubleproteinintoapalatableandhighlydigestibleproteinsourceasseenin
Table1.
Table1.CrudeProteincontentandDigestibilityofvariousproteins.
ProductionofFeatherMeal
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ProductionofFeatherMeal
Feathermeal(FM)isproducedfromfreshfeathersthataresteamhydrolysedunderhigh
pressureandtemperature(140C)foraperiodoftimesufficienttohydrolysethechemical
bondsofthefeathers.Hydrolysingcanbecarriedoutinbatchcookersorcontinuos
hydrolysersandisthenfollowedbydrying.Differentprocessingconditionssuchastime,
temperature,pressureandmoisturecanhaveaneffectonthedigestibilityoftheprotein.
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Basicallythereisarapidincreaseinthetimerequiredforprocessingwhenthepressuredrops
rega
below207kPaandarapidfallintimeasthepressurerisesabove207kPa.Morerecentlyat
leastonecompanyhasproposedtheuseofenzymesasapreconditioningagentpriorto
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processinginapressurevessel.Theaimofthisprocessistoincreaseaminoacidavailability
anddigestibility.
Feathermealproducedunderstandardconditionsfromfreshfeatherswillhavethefollowing
approximateanalysis,Table2:
Table2.TypicalAnalysisofFeatherMealEwing1997
DryMatter 90%
CrudeProtein 82%
Digestibility 75%min.
Fat 6%
Ash 4%
CrudeFibre 0.6%
AvailableLysine 1.8%
Methionine+Cysteine 4.9%
TMEn 3.07Kcal/g(12.8MJ/kg)
Anoteonthedigestibilityvalues.Theofficialmethodfordeterminingtheinvitrodigestibilityof
feathermealistousea0.2%pepsinsolution,howeverrecentresearchworkhasshownthatif
a0.002%solutionisused,thenthevaluesobtainedaremorehighlycorrelatedwithbiological
assays.Theactualvaluemeasuredislowerthanwith0.2%solutionhoweverthemethod
appearstobemoresensitiveandthereforeofvalueincomparingonefeathermealtoanother.
TheEnergyValueofFeatherMeal
InitiallyworkwascarriedoutusingbroilersasitwasconsideredthattheNRCvaluesweretoo
low.Uponinvestigationoftheinitialdata,Pesti(1990),foundthatwhenFMwasincludedin
dietsat40%oftherationthentheenergyvaluewaslow,astheanimalswereunabletodigest
andabsorbtheamountofproteinoffered.Howeverwhenlevelsof20%FMwereaddedtothe
rationtheenergyvaluewasmuchhigherthanNRCpublishedvalues(2.36kcal/g)anditwas
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rationtheenergyvaluewasmuchhigherthanNRCpublishedvalues(2.36kcal/g)anditwas
suggestedthatavalueof3.07Kcal/g(12.8MJ/kg)wasmoreappropriate.SimilarlyFuller&
Dale1986foundaTMEvalueof3.07Kcal/ginfeathermealsbeingusedcommerciallyinSE
USA.
ApredictionequationwasformulatedtopredictthenitrogencorrectedTrueMetabolisable
Energy:
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TME n(kcal/kgDM)=2862+77(%fat)
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Theuseofthisformulashowedthatafeathermealwith7%fathadanMEvalue46percent
higherthanthatreportedbytheNRC.
TheQualityofFeatherMealProtein
Muchofthedirectworkhasbeencarriedoutwithbroilersandastheseanimalsaremore
sensitivetonutritionalchange.Thereisvalueinconsideringtheresultssincethefeather
proteinthatbypassestherumenwillbesubjectedtothesamedigestion,absorptionand
utilisationthatoccursinabroiler.
Thereisnodoubtthatinthe50sand60stherewasconsiderableprejudiceagainstfeather
mealasaresultofitslowandvariabledigestibilitywhichatthattimewasareflectionofthe
processingconditions.However,aconsiderableamountofresearchwascarriedoutatseveral
U.S.universities,(Fuller1967,Naberetal.1961,Summers1969andThomas,1972)whichin
effectdemonstratedthatfeathermealwasausefulproteinsupplementforinclusioninbroiler
diets.Cornsoyarationsareequallydeficientinmethionineandcystine.Fullerexamined
whetherfeathermealorfishmealcouldbethesolesourceofanimalproteininacornsoya
diet.Inordertodeterminehowmuchofthetotalsulphuraminoacid(TSSA)needscouldbe
metbycystineinthefeathermeal,onlyenoughmethioninewasaddedineachdiettokeepthe
TSAAcontentequal.Therewerenosignificantdifferencesinbodyweightgainorfeed
efficiency,demonstratingthatatleasthalfoftheTSSArequirementcanbemetwithcystine
andthatfeathermealisagoodsourceofthisaminoacid(Table3).
Table3.FeatherMealasasourceoftotalsulphuraminoacids.
(Fuller,1967)
Summers1969reportedontheextenttowhichfeathermealcanbeusedinpracticalbroiler
rations.Thecornsoyandcornsoyfeathermealrationswerecalculatedtobeequalinenergy
andprotein.Feathermealproteinreplacedsoyproteinuptothepointwherethefirstlimiting
aminoacidbecamelimitinginthediet.Hencethestarterdietcontained6%andthefinisher
diet4.1%feathermeal.Nodifferenceswereobservedingrowthorfeedefficiencyofchicksfed
thetwodiets,Table4.
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MorerecentlyBaler(1981)hasdemonstratedthataslongastherewasmethionineandlysine
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supplementation,upto40%ofthecrudeproteincouldbesuppliedbyfeathermealwithout
rega
affectinggrowthorfeedefficiency.
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ThedataobtainedwithchicksindicatesthatuponabsorptionfromtheGItract,thattheprotein
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infeathermealcanbewellutilised.AninterestingobservationfromCabeletal.(1986),was
thatwhenfeathermealwasincludedinrationsatalevelof46%for714dayspriorto
slaughter,asignificantreductioninabdominalfatwasobserved,withoutaffectinggrowthor
FCR.
AminoAcidAvailability
Liuetal.(1989)examined3samplesoffeathermealtodeterminetrueaminoacidavailability
(AAA).TheyfoundthattrueAAArangedfrom59.2lysineto82.8%arginine,withanoverall
meanof72.3%(Table5).Althoughthesevaluesarelowerthanotherstudiestheydocompare
wellwithstudiesbyNordheim&Coon(1984).
Table5.TrueAminoAcidAvailabilityoffeathermeal(Liuetal1989).
AminoAcid TAAA%
Lysine 59.2
Methionine 74.4
Methionineadded% 0.1
Cystine 64.2
Leucine 76.9
Phenylalanine 79.2
Arginine 82.8
OverallAverage 73.2+/2.4
FeatherMealinRuminantDiets
HavingestablishedfrommonogastricstudiesthatFMisavaluableproteinsourceinapost
ruminalphaseofdigestionitwouldthereforebeappropriatetoinvestigatetheeffectoffeeding
feathermealtothetotalruminant.Asubstantialamountofworkwithbeefcattlehasbeen
conductedbyKlopfensteinandhiscolleaguesatNebraskaUniversitywithdairytrialsbeing
conductedatanumberofdifferentsites.
Dairy
Moderatelyproducingdairycattlehavebeenabletoobtainalloftheirproteinneedsfromthe
passageandsubsequentdigestionofbacterialandprotozoalprotein.Howeverwithincreased
geneticmeritandtheneedtoproducemorepercow,wayshavebeensoughttofeedboththe
cowandtherumenmicrobialpopulation.Sincetheamountofbacterialproteinproducedis
maximised,nutritionistshaveexaminedtheneedtosupplygreateramountsofproteinpost
ruminallybyusingeitherchemicallytreatedornaturallyoccurringbypassproteins.Rendered
proteinsareasourceofbypassproteinandinrecenttimestheuseoffeathermealhasbeen
examinedinthedietsofhighproducingdairycattle.
Harrisetal.(1997)examinedtheeffectofthreelevelsoffeathermealontwoproteincontent
diets(Table6).
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Table6.EffectofvariouslevelsofFMondairyproduction
Theyconcludedthatupto6%FMhadnonegativeeffectonintakeorbodyweight,apositive
effectuponmilkyieldatthelowerproteindietandalinearnegativeeffectuponmilkprotein
content.Theysuggestedthatthebalanceofaminoacids,lowlysineandmethionine,was
inadequateformaximisingmilkproteinsynthesis.SimilarlyHerbeinandWebb(1997),found
that2.2%feathermealwasnotdetrimentaltomilkproductionorfeedintake.However,the
potentialforfeathermealtoincreasemilkcomponentsmightbelinkedtothesimultaneous
feedingofotherhighbypassproteinsthathavecomplimentaryaminoacidprofilessuchas
bloodmeal(BM)whichprovidesmorelysineandmethionine.Withtheadventofprotected
methioninesupplements,thesecombinedwithlowcostfeatherproteincouldprovetobevery
economicforhighproducingdairycattle.
Beef
Klopfenstein(1990)evaluatedtheproteinvalueofurea,soybeanmeal,FM,BManda50:50
combinationofFMandBMwhenfedto260kgcalvesfora112dayperiod.Thebasaldietwas
50%groundcorncobs,40%cornsilageand10%supplementandsupplied11.5%crude
proteinand57%TDN.Theureacontrolcalvesgained376g/daycomparedtoBMalonewhich
gave735g/day.ThemostefficientlyusedproteinsourceswereBMandFM:BMcombination
comparedtosoybeanmealandFM.TheexcellentperformanceoftheBM:FMcombination
wassuggestedasbeingduetotheprovisionoflysineintheBM.
Table7.Proteinefficiency*ofvarioussourcesofprotein,measuredincalves.
Ingredient Proteinefficiency
BloodMeal(BM) 2.92
FM:BM(50:50) 2.62
FeatheMeal(FM) 1.65
SoyBeanMeal 1.21
Proteinefficiencymeasuredbyusingtheweightgainofthecalvesontheureadiet
asthebaseforcomparingtheweightgainsobtainedwiththeotherprotein
treatments.Ahighproteinefficiencyindicatesthataproteinsourceisbeing
convertedmoreefficientlytoLiveWeightGaincomparedtoaproteinsourcethat
mayhavealowproteinefficiency.
Conclusion
Frommonogastricstudieswecanseethatfeathermealhasahighproteincontentwitha
reasonabledegreeofdigestibility.Theaminoacidcompositionofthefeathermealprotein
doesrequiresupplementationtobalanceoutthelowleveloflysineandmethionine.When
incorporatedintoruminantdietsconsiderationneedstobegiventotheaminoacidmixand
supplementneedstobedone,wherenecessary.Baseduponthepriceoffeathermeal,
nutritionistsshouldconsidermoreregularuseofthecommodity.
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NevilleJChandlerNationalRenderersAssociation,52PackhorseRoad,GerrardsCross,
BuckinghamshireSL98EF
References DairyCattle
Ewing,W.N.1997TheFeedsDirectory.PublishedbyContext,UK. rega
Fuller,H.L.1967.Proc1967GeorgiaNutritionConf.p24.
Harris,B.Jr.,Dorminey,D.E.andVanHorn,H.H.1997www.poultyegg.org/research/
Herbein,J.H.Jr.andWebb,K.E.Jr.1997.>www.poultyegg.org/research/
Klopfenstein,T.1990DirectorsDigestNo177:Fats&ProteinResearchFoundation
Lui,J.K.,Waibel,P.E.andNoll,S.L.1989PoultryScience68:1513
Naber,E.C.,Touchburn,S.P.,Barnett,B.D.andMorgan,C.L.1961.
PoultryScience40:1234.
Nordheim,J.P.andCoon,C.N.1984.PoultryScience63:1040
Pesti,G.M.,L.D.Faust,H.L.Fuller,H.M.DaleandF.H.Benhoff1986
PoultrySci.65:2258
Pesti,G.M.1990Fats&ProteinsResearchFoundation,DirectorsDigest172
Summers,J.D.1969.Feedstuffs,March16.p.36.
Thomas,O.P.,bossard,E.H.,Nicjolson,J.L.andTwinning,P.V.Jr.1972.Proc.Maryland
NutritionConf.p86.
Appendix1:COMPARITIVEFEATHERMEALANALYSES(asfedbasis/kgproduct)
**NRArecommendedvalues.
(10110) (6)
Leon
BusinessDevelopmentManager
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Re:FeatherMeal:ItsNutritionalValueAndUseInDairyAndBeefRations
08/20/2013|
Asmanyresearchesshow,35%feathermealcanbeusedinmanypoultrydiet.
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shahbaz
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Re:FeatherMeal:ItsNutritionalValueAndUseInDairyAndBeefRations
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08/05/2015|
Wearenottheregularuseroffeathermealinruminantsfeedspecificallyinbeafbutfew
daysbeforemaybeduetomixingoffeathermealitisincorporatedinregularfeedand
thereismortalityoftwocalveshappenandafterpostmartumthereisafeathermealin
rumenandfarmmanagersupposedithadhappenedduetoF.Minclusion.plzsuggestme
wheatheritispossible?
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JanvierHABIMANA
Student
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Re:FeatherMeal:ItsNutritionalValueAndUseInDairyAndBeefRations
09/30/2015|
Iamnewonthisgroup,soIaminterestedinproducingfeeds.HowcanIgetfeed
formulationbasedonnutrientrequirementofdomesticanimals?
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AdeoluwaAdetunji
Research
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Re:FeatherMeal:ItsNutritionalValueAndUseInDairyAndBeefRations
10/17/2016|
Ihaveaquestioninrelationtodeterminationoffeathermealproteindigestibility.
Formetoexpressproteindigestibilityondrymatterbasis,I'mlookingatusingthedry
samplethatIdriedformoisturedeterminationofthefeathermealforthepepsin
digestibility.
Myquestionisthis,willdryingat50degreecelciusfor24hrhaveanynegativeeffecton
thedigestibilityofthefeathermealproteinornot?
Thankyou.
1 0
HafizWasiKhan
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HafizWasiKhan
agronomist
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Re:FeatherMeal:ItsNutritionalValueAndUseInDairyAndBeefRations
10/19/2016|Technicallythereshouldnotbeanynegativeeffectunlessprovedotherwise
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OkhiomahAbu
AnimalNutritionist
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Re:FeatherMeal:ItsNutritionalValueAndUseInDairyAndBeefRations
10/26/2016|Ithinkyouneedtogiveafullpictureofyourdigestibilitytrial.Isthisaninvivo
orinvitrostudy?Areyouhandlingthefeatheraloneorwithotheringredient?Whateverthe
situationIamoftheopinionthatthesampleusedfordrymatterbasismaybeyoursure
bet.Althoughitistruethatpepsinisaproteinandcouldbedenaturedat50degree
Celsius.
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Wouldyouliketodiscussaboutthistopic:FeatherMeal:ItsNutritional
ValueAndUseInDairyAndBeefRations?
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