Innovative and optimised utilisation of poultry feathers

Poultry feathers are nearly pure protein, with 90% of their dry matter consisting of keratin. In Norway, feathers are currently mixed with other animal by-products prior to processing into pet food or used for biogas. There is a potential for using feather for higher value products, but the digestibility of untreated feathers is low, and traditional processing leads to reduced quality, limiting the application areas. The vision of TipTop is to design a value chain from processing of poultry feathers– by exploring innovative utilisation of locally sourced feathers into animal feed, biodegradable materials and organic fertilizers, leading nutrients back to the soil.

Tip top will develop pre-treatment strategies to ensure hygienic and safe raw materials for further processing. Traditional and novel mechanical, chemical, biological processing methods will be used to improve digestibility, and technical quality for feed, and biodegradable applications. The developed products will be evaluated by in-vitro and feeding trials to evaluating digestibility and potential use for monogastric animals, Atlantic salmon, and insects. The project will design biodegradable materials that can substitute traditional material made of non-renewable sources, such as foams for packaging and plant pots, and films for plant protection. The biodegradability of the feather products, and use as fertilisers will be assessed.

Troughout the project, economic feasibility, environmental impact and market potential will be evaluated. The project covers biotechnology, biomaterial technology animal nutrition, agronomy, socioeconomics, and industry covering the entire value chain—from feather production and processing to final products. Main impact is to create new commercial opportunities and increased utilization of local residual raw materials for feed, biomaterials and fertilizers. Replacing imported protein feed with feathers could also reduce GHG emissions and increase self-sufficiency.