ArticleVeterinary medicine and science2025
Transforming Feather Meal Into a High-Performance Feed for Broilers.
Article in Veterinary medicine and science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Signal peptide engineering of a novel M4 family keratinase and the action mechanism in promoting pepper tolerance to salt stress through KerJY23-hydrolyzed feather waste.Synthetic and systems biotechnology · 2026Article
- Microbial-enzymatic co-fermentation of feather meal for bioactive peptide production and its multi-pathway synergistic regulation of intestinal health in broilers.Poultry science · 2026Article
- Integration of feather waste hydrolysis, enzyme production, and cultivation of Spirulina (Limnospira platensis) and its potential economic and environmental benefits.Bioprocess and biosystems engineering · 2026Article
- Processed animal proteins in poultry nutrition: nutritional value, digestibility, safety, and applications.Tropical animal health and production · 2026Review
- Enzyme-assisted valorization of agro-industrial byproducts for sustainable and efficient broiler production.Veterinary world · 2026Review
- Harnessing Microbial Consortia for Efficient Keratinous Biomass Biotransformation.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe poultry industry faces challenges with the high cost and environmental impact of Soybean meal. Feather meal, a byproduct with low digestibility due to its keratin content, is a potential alternative. Recent biotechnological advances, including enzymatic and bacterial hydrolysis, have enhanced its digestibility and nutritional value.
objectiveThis study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of three different feather meal processing methods as partial replacements for soybean meal in broiler diets. The methods assessed included hydrolyzed feather meal treated with Streptomyces bacteria, commercial enzyme-treated feather meal, and boiled feather meal. Their effects on performance and nutrient digestibility were evaluated in Ross 308 male broiler chickens. MATERIALS: The study involved 525 Ross 308 male broiler chickens were allocated to seven dietary treatments, which included a control diet and varying combinations of feather meal and soybean meal. Streptomyces sp. MSM5 was shown to effectively produce keratinase, enhancing the amino acid content of the feather meal.
resultsBirds fed diets containing 33% and 67% boiled feather meal exhibited significantly reduced body weight gain (BWG) and increased feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the control group (p < 0.05). In contrast, birds fed diets with 33% hydrolyzed feather meal, treated with either enzymes or bacteria, showed similar BWG and FCR to those on the control diet. However, diets with 67% hydrolyzed feather meal led to significant reductions in performance (p < 0.05). Additionally, diets containing 33% and 67% boiled feather meal, as well as 67% hydrolyzed feather meal, resulted in significantly lower carcass percentage, breast muscle percentage, thigh muscle percentage, overall dry matter digestibility, and protein digestibility (p < 0.05).
conclusionThe results indicate that substituting as much as 33% of soybean meal with processed feather meal, particularly when treated with enzymes or bacteria, does not negatively impact broiler performance. Furthermore, the results underscore the potential of biotechnological treatments, such as bacterial keratin hydrolysis, to enhance the nutritional value of feather meal, transforming it into a high-quality, sustainable protein source for the poultry industry.
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