Horn-and-hoof meal

Description:  

The horns and hoofs are treated separately. The hoofs are soaked in water until they become spongy and can be freed from the bones, after which they are spread out in the sun to dry. The horns are cured in the sun until the horn pith is completely dried and can be removed by hammering. The horns and hoofs together are put into an autoclave (digester) and steam cooked for seven hours at 100-112o C. The material is then dried and finely ground. The digestibility of horn and hoof meal has been shown to increase progressively as it is ground finer. It has been used a low levels in poultry diets with variable results. It seems to be unpalatable to most classes of livestock.

Feeding and Handling Characteristics:  

A high digestibility, about 80 % for the CP, has been reported for horn and hoof meal prepared by steeping the hoofs and horns in 10 % sodium carbonate for sixty hours at 20oC, after which the material was boiled in water for one hour and dried at a high temperature until it turned golden yellow. 

Nutrient Characteristics: