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ACREC
Animal Co-Products Research & Education Center Clemson University What are Animal Co-Products?
In the United States,
approximately 52-54 billion pounds of animal co-products are generated
annually. These inedible tissues are produced concurrently with
the production of meat, milk, eggs and animal fibers. This
material can represent up to 40 to 50 percent of the live weight of
each slaughtered food animal and is increasing annually as further
processed, pre-packaged and table-ready animal products are marketed.
Currently, a significant
portion of animal co-products is utilized as animal feed. With
the looming issues with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and
other potential infectious diseases, the continued use of these
materials for feed purposes has been challenged. However, there would
be significant environmental, public and animal health impacts without
an industry dedicated to processing malodorous, raw and perishable
animal tissues. These impacts will result in increased costs to the
livestock growers, the food animal processing industries, and
consumers. Animal co-products also are used to produce numerous
industrial and consumer products including biofuels, fertilizers, soap,
rubber and plastics. Research is needed in these areas to
continue new product development for non-feed, non-food uses of animal
co-products.
The Rendering Process Rendering is the recycling
of fats and protein from food animal production into a variety of
value-added products. During rendering, heat is applied to the
raw animal materials – which include tissues, bones, hooves, horns and
entrails – to destroy microbial populations, remove moisture and
extract fat from the protein.
It is imperative to society that the rendering industry remains viable. Finding new non-feed, non-food uses from animal co-products to allow profitable new ventures with the rendering industry, and addressing the challenges of biosecurity, environmental protection, new product development and education, are major goals of the Clemson University Animal Co-Products Research and Education Center. |
