Researchers in Iran Produce Substitute Protein for Soybeans from Leather, Feather Waste
Mojtabi Zahedifar, a faculty member of the Institute of Animal Sciences of Iran, described feather powder and hydrolyzed leather powder as the products of this project, saying, “Leather industry has some waste which cannot be used in other industries, and since these wastes contain protein, we hydrolyzed it and greatly increased its absorbability in the animal body.”
He also explained that the feather powder produced through the hydrolysis method also contains more than 90% of protein and 75% of the protein can be digested, adding that the protein can be used in livestock and poultry feed.
“We used this substance in the food of meat and egg-laying poultry, turkey, and ruminant animals and we obtained acceptable results,” Zahedifar noted.
“The commercial product and its production line have been launched and 200,000 tons of the product are produced per year. This product can replace soybeans for animal feed,” he added.
In another development, researchers at an Iranian knowledge-based company achieved the technical know-how for production of animal feed supplements which heretofore were being imported.
“At present, three products of this company enjoy knowledge-based licenses of which two products have reached the mass production stage and another one is in the pilot production phase,” said Zahra Soltani, the managing director of the company.
She described supplement to all kinds of animal feed as one of the products of her company, and stated, “This product is in the pilot phase and it will enter the mass production phase soon.”
“The food supplement, which contains a part of group B vitamins, is among the data-x-items imported to the country from China and India, and with the studies we conducted, we achieved the technical know-how of producing this type of animal supplements,” Soltani said.
Noting that the product is manufactured in the form of liquid and is added to animal feed, she said, “This liquid is sprayed on corn powder and is absorbed by the animal feed.”
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