ANIMAL RENDERING: A TOOL FOR ENHANCING THE FUNCTIONALITY OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE FOR A SUSTAINABLE DEEVELOPMENT

Owoeye Ayodele Olusegun

Abstract Animal rendering, a tool for enhancing of including instructions on practical animal Agricultural education for a sustainable future, rendering in voational agricultural programs. examines the focus of vocational agricultural education, which is to equip its recipients with Vocational agriculture is defined as the functional skills that can enhance student’s teaching of agriculture, natural resources and ability to be self employed gainfully. The land management through hands-on experience ability of the Educational system to keep and guidance to prepare students for entry level upgrading available opportunities for students jobs, to further their education and to prepare to acquire relevant skills, will ultimately determine the effectiveness of vocational them for advance agricultural jobs (Phipps programs. Rendering, the process of Osborne, Dyer Ball, Lloyd Edwards, James converting waste animal tissues into stable Anna. 2008). It is the training for a specific value added commercial materials which are vocation in industry of agriculture or trade. The organic in origin which includes high protein emphasis of vocational agriculture is to train ingredients for poultry feeds, pet food, and people in such areas as production marketing and fertilizer, yellow grease for biodiesel conservation (Phipps et-al, 2008).There is production used to power vehicles, tallow a therefore an urgent need to continually upgrade valuable ingredient in the production of soap, the skills in offer in vocational and technical paint, toothpaste, mouth wash, dyes, nail education to be more functional and meaningful polish, crayons, glue, shoe polish, antifreeze, ornaments, pharmaceutical products, and wax by adopting various teaching and learning paper. The trend the world over is strategies that can take advantage of factors of transformation of waste products into a source production that are readily and cheaply of income generation. Skill acquisition in accessible (Dike V.E, 2005). Vocational animal rendering would not only be a agriculture will effect the needed development, potentially promising income generating since it is designed to offer training to improve source, but also help in sustaining a healthier an individual’s proficiency (Ademola EA, environment, given the massive problems of Olakunle O.B, Badmus A.S 2012). Continual waste both in the agricultural sector and in the updating and upgrading of occupational skills nation at large. The paper therefore examines that can be taught in vocational agriculture is what animal rendering is, the raw material for rendering, what rendering yields, types of therefore of great importance (Knoblock N, Ball rendering, uses to which rendered materials A, Allen C. 2007). are put, disadvantage of using rendered materials in cattle feeding. Recommendations Recycling can be an economic as well as were made to help in establishing an animal an environmentally friendly process, which can rendering industry around which the various offer direct development opportunities for a sectors can operate among which is that The country’s economy which may include local government should look into the possibilities revenue, agricultural job creation, business expansion, and local economic base.

Journal of Qualitative Education, Volume 10 No. 1 May, 2014, ISSN: 0331 - 4790 1

Owoeye Ayodele Olusegun

In make vocational agriculture to be Why Rendering? more functional than what it presently is, there is 1. Rendering is recycling in the best sense of a need to explore and exploit the vast potentials the word as everything is used. inherent in transforming the massive and 2. Finished products of rendering are organic. mounting problems of agricultural waste 3. The industry provides long term employment materials into profitable products. Animal and it sustains the environment. rendering operations offer great opportunities in 4. Rendering reduces the raw material volume this direction, and if incorporated into by approximately 50%. agricultural vocational programs can further 5. Rendering in part is part of the human food enhance effectiveness of the program. Animal chain. rendering may be a dormant unexplored area of 6. Rendering is also a part of animal feed chain. massive income generation in agriculture, as the 7. Rendering is proven and safe disposal of focus the world over is on conversion of waste waste. into avenues of wealth generation. 8. Rendering decrease waste and converts waste (valueless) into economic valuables. What Is Rendering? 9. Rendering help reduce the rate of clandestine Rendering is a process that converts killing of sick animals sold into the market waste animal tissues into stable value added without going through meat inspection materials, by processing of animal products into procedures (NRA, 2013). more useful materials (Meeker, 2006). Rendering can be carried out on an industrial, Products of Rendering farm or kitchen scale. Whole animal fatty tissues are processed into purified fat such as lard and tallow. Remains Raw Materials for Rendering of animals abandoned and their viscera, blood, According to NRA, (2013), waste skin, bones, hooves are processed into fertilizers, animal tissues processed comes from slaughter leather, glue, and oil/grease for industrial purpose houses, butcher shop trimmings, expired meat (Energy solution Centre, 2007). from meat shops, carcasses of euthanized Products of rendering would include: animals and dead animals from animal shelters, 1. Biogas production- This is a non toxic zoos, veterinarians, and on transit. They also biodegradable diesel fuel produced from include restaurant waste grease. Specific yellow grease, used in vehicles. materials used include fatty tissues, bones, offal, 2. Yellow grease is produced from the recycling feathers, blood, brains, eyeballs, entire carcasses of used cooking oil. of animals condemned at slaughter houses and 3. Protein meal- meat / bone meal used as those that have died on farms, in transit etc. protein in Livestock feeding. Types of animals rendered may include beef, 4. Tallow – Fat produced from the rendering of sheep, pork and poultry (Mohammed, 2003). animal by-products which find use in the Integrated rendering plants normally process manufacture of paints, soap, pharmaceuticals only one type of raw material, whereas and cosmetics. independent rendering plants often handle 5. Rendering yields a fat commodity (yellow several raw materials that require either multiple grease, choice white grease, bleachable fancy rendering systems or significant modification in tallow). the operating conditions for a single system. 6. Production of lard or edible tallow for use in food products.

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Animal Rendering: A Tool for Enhancing the Functionality of Vocational Agriculture for a Sustainable Deevelopment

Methods of Rendering Rendering Process for Inedible Products The methods used in the rendering process Materials that are not suitable for human varies in many ways depending on the following: consumption because of sanitary reasons are the 1. Whether the end products are to be used for feedstock for inedible rendering processes. Much human consumption, which is based on the of the inedible materials are rendered using dry type of raw materials and processing method method. This may be a dry or a continuous used. processing in which the material is heated in a steam- jacketed vessel to drive off the moisture 2. Whether the end products are to be used as and simultaneously release the fat from the fat animal or pet food. cells. The material is first ground, and then heated to release the fat and drive off the 3. If the materials are to be processed wet or moisture, percolated to drain off the free fat, and dry. In wet processing either boiling water or then, more fat is pressed out of the residue, which steam is added to the material causing fat to at this stage is called cracklings or dry rendered rise to the surface. Wet rendering is one of tankage. The cracklings are further ground to the processes that produce the purest form of make meat and bone meal (Shah, 2011). tallow, while in dry processing, fat is released by dehydrating the raw material Kitchen Rendering (Becker, 2004). Rendering of fats is also carried out on a kitchen scale, where butter is transformed into 4. The temperature range used, whether high or clarified butter, and suet into tallow, chicken fat low. into schmaltz and pork into lard.

5. The processing plant may be operated by an Clarified fat is produced by melting independent company that collects the butter and allowing the different component to materials on the open market, or by the separate by density. The water evaporates, some packing plants that produce the material. solids float to the surface and is skimmed off and the remainder of the milk solids sinks to the Rendering Process for Edible Products bottom and is left behind when the butter fat Rendering for the production of edible (which will then be on top) is poured off. products are basically meat processing (Energy Solutions Centre, 2007). It has a longer operations which leads to the production of lard shelf life and higher smoke point than regular or edible tallow used in food products. Edible butter. rendering is generally carried out in a continuous process at low temperatures. The process Meat Rendering Plants involves finely chopping the fat trimmings from Meat rendering plants process animal by- meat cuts, heating them with or without steam product materials for the production of tallow, and then carrying out two or more stages of grease, high protein meat and bone meal. Plants centrifugal separation. The final stage separates that operate in conjunction with animal slaughter the liquid water and fat mixture from the solids. houses or poultry processing plants are called The solids may be used in food products or pet Integrated Rendering Plants. Plants that collect food, depending on the original materials. The their raw materials from a variety of off-site separated fat may be used in food products, or if sources are referred to as Independent Rendering in surplus it may be diverted to soap making Plants. Independent plants obtain animal by operations (Animal Rendering Fact Sheet, 2004). product materials including grease, blood,

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Owoeye Ayodele Olusegun

feathers, offal and entire animal carcasses from peleting efficiency, and reduce machinery butcher shops, fast food chains, supermarkets, wear in feed production. restaurants poultry processors, slaughter houses, farms, ranches, feedlot, and animal shelters 3. Meat and bone meal serve as high energy (Prokop,1992). additive to livestock and poultry feed, high in protein (55 to 60%), calcium, phosphorus Importance of Animal Rendering and fat, usually stabilized with an anti- The rendering industry makes possible oxidant to prevent rancidity. It is also sold the development of a large food industry. for use as fertilizer, or as a valuable product The industry takes what would otherwise be for animal pet foods. waste materials and makes useful products such as fuel, soap, rubber, plastics out of them. 4. Edible tallow is used in margarine, Rendering stops what would otherwise be a shortening, and cooking fats, gives better major disposal problem, were large slaughter flavor to fried food than vegetable oils. house and animal operations are concerned There are however claims that tallow causes (Animal Rendering Factsheet, 2004). heart disease reducing its use for human consumption. (Mohammed, 2003). Materials in rendering process are susceptible to spoilage but, after rendering the 5. Mutton tallow can also be used in skin materials are much more resistant to spoiling. ointment and natural skin care remedies, it The fat obtained can be used as low cost penetrates layers of dead skin, softening the materials for making greases, animal feed, soap, hard areas on the face. candle, biodiesel and as feedstock for the chemical industry. 6. Tallow has an existing market in conventional oleo chemicals with a unique Uses of Rendered Materials feedstock with properties that are hard to Tallow derived from beef waste is an reproduce from plant oil (Becker, 2004). important raw material in the steel rolling 7. Beef tallow is protective against breast industry, providing the required lubrication when tumors, and its use will help make bones compressing steel sheets. The meat and bone strong, because of its high vitamin D content which are in dry ground state are used as meat (Booth, 2007). and bone meal in livestock feed. 1. Industrial chemical and synthetic oils Saleable Meat Meal Quality Requirements originating from tallow, particularly fatty 1. Must contain no odor of putrefaction. acids are used to make various products 2. Storage temperature must not be above which include; abrasives, shaving cream, 10oc above ambient. asphalt tiles, candles, caulking compounds, 3. No detectable pathogenic organism. cement additives, cleaners, cosmetics, 4. Must be free from insects and rodents and deodorants, paints, polishes, perfumes, their residues. detergents, plastics, printing ink, synthetic 5. Digestibility and availability of the protein, rubber, water repellant compounds (3). not more than 13% of the crude protein should be undigested by pepsin (Franco, 2. Inedible tallow reduces dust, improves color 2013). and texture, enhances palatability, increases

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Animal Rendering: A Tool for Enhancing the Functionality of Vocational Agriculture for a Sustainable Deevelopment

Blood Processing and Drying Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Whole blood from animal slaughter The practice of feeding meat and bone houses, containing 16 to18 percent total protein meal to cattle is prohibited in developed solids, is processed and dried to recover protein countries because it is believed to be the main as blood meal. The blood meal is a valuable route for the spread of bovine spongiform ingredient in animal feed because it has a high encephalopathy BSE ( mad cow disease), which lysine content and is used at minimal inclusion is also fatal to human beings. Meat and bone level in livestock feed. It is unpalatable as feed meal from cattle is however fed to non ruminant ingredient and has low digestibility but animals and meat and bone meal from non especially high in lysine. ruminant animals is fed to cattle in the United States. Due to the resistant nature of the Poultry Feathers and Hog Hair Processing infectious agent of BSE, a misfolded protein The raw material is introduced into a (prion), feeding cattle meal to non ruminant and batch cooker and is processed for 30 to 45 vice versa will not prevent the occurrence of minutes at temperatures ranging from 138oc to BSE. The underlining cause is that the prion 149oc, and pressures ranging from 40 to 50 psig. survives in the system of the animal that has been This process converts keratin, the principal fed with meat and bone meal from different component of feathers and hog hair, into amino animals including cattle. These animals are acids. The moist meal product containing the eventually rendered and fed to cattle, which also amino acids is passed either through a hot air, results in the development of the disease (FDA, ring type dryer or over steam-heated tubes to 2010). remove the moisture from the meal. The dried meal is transferred to storage. Feather meal is Summary composed of feathers, wet rendered and dried to The key to sustainable development in form a high protein meal (80% protein). The vocational agriculture is to ensure the system is protein lacks certain amino acids (Shah, 2011). continually dynamic. A continuous updating and upgrading of the syllabus is mandatory if Grease Processing relevance and impact is desired. Conversion of Grease from restaurant is recycled as waste materials into an avenue of sustainable another raw feed material processed by rendering income generation is the order the world over. plants. During processing, the melted grease is Taking advantage of the agricultural waste that first screened to remove coarse solids, and then has become a nuisance in many urban and rural heated to about 93oc in vertical processing tanks. areas of the nation as a dependable source of The material is then stored in the processing tank income generation would not only create more for 36 to 48 hours to allow for gravity separation jobs for our teeming youths, but also assist in of the grease, water and fine solids. Separation handling the problem of the disposal of waste normally results in four phases Solids, Water, generated. Development of rendering would Emulsion layer, and Grease product. The solids ultimately lead to the profitable utilization of the settle to the bottom and are separated from the meat industry by-products. Animal rendering water layer above. The emulsion is then should therefore be considered for inclusion in processed through a centrifuge to remove solids Agricultural curricula to make it more relevant to and another centrifuge to remove water, the bothpresent and future needs of youths. grease product is skimmed off the top.

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Owoeye Ayodele Olusegun

Conclusion Agenda (vision 2020). (Online). The development of rendering would http://ssrn.com/abstract=2143690 lead to profitable utilization of meat industry by- products which in turn, would lead to the Animal Rendering Fact Sheet. (2004). Disposal development of a massive industrial-scale meat (Rendering) of Deceased Animals from industry that would make food more economical Los Angeles County Animal Shelters. for the consumer, because it will allow the Animal Rendering Fact Sheet April 8, economic disposal of by-products which will 2004. otherwise be dumped in the environment. Animal rendering could therefore re-engineer Baffoe E. (2013). The Waste-to-wealth Initiation vocational agriculture and make it more relevant. for Sustainable Agriculture. National Peace Corps Association. (Online). http:// Recommendations peace corpsconnect.org/ In order to ensure that a vibrant rendering industry is developed, one that is accessible to all Becker G. (2004). Animal Rendering; Economic interested participants, the following suggestions and policy. CRS Report for Congress. are proferred; (online). www.icanimal.org 1. The government should look into the possibilities of including instructions on Dike V.E. (2005). Missing Link in Nigeria’s practical animal rendering in voational Development. (Online). http://www. agricultural programs. nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/victor_d 2. Create the enabling environment for the uke/vocational-education-missing-link-in- take off of a flourishing rendering industry nigeria-s-development.p-2.htm in the country. 3. Create adequate awareness in all major Don A.F (2013). Animal Disposal: the animal producing areas, on proper disposal Environmental, Animal Disease, and methods of animal by-products and dead Public Health Implications: An stock. Assessment of options. Render magazine, 4. Encourage the breaking up of the 2013. operations into smaller sections that would make it easier for the small holder Energy Solution Centre (2007). Rendering and businesses to participate. Meat By-Products. Energy Solution 5. Make access to capital easy for those Centre, Foodpro. (Online). http://www.e interested in investing in the industry. pa.gov/ttn/chief/ap42/ch09/final/c9s05- 6. Make careless disposal of dead stock and 3.pdf/4/2007 large trimmings of animal tissues in refuse sites illegal. Food and Drug Administration. (2010). 7. Draft legislative acts that would serve to Inspection, Compliance, Enforcement, and maintain standards in the operations of the Criminal Investigations. U.S Department industry. of Health and Human Services. (Online). http://www.fda.gov/ICECIdefault.htm References Ademola EA, Olakunle OB, Badmus AS. (2012). Fisher D. (2013). How to Render Tallow for Soap The Roles of Technical and Vocational and Candle. (Online). http://candleandsoap Education in the Nigeria Development .about.com/bio/davidfisher-4150.htm

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Animal Rendering: A Tool for Enhancing the Functionality of Vocational Agriculture for a Sustainable Deevelopment Knoblock N.A, Ball A, Allen C. (2007). The Owoeye Ayodele Olusegun benefits of teaching and Learning about Department of Agricultural Education, Agriculture in Elementary and junior High Federal College of Education (Technical), schools. Journal of Agricultural Gusau. Education. 48 ( 3). 25-36. 2007. 03025.

Meeker D.L. (2006). Essential Rendering: All about the Animal Products Industry. Arlington, V.A: National Renderers Association. P 95-110.

Mohammed R. (2003). In More Places Than You Think. Animal Writes. The Vancouver Humane Society Newsletter. (Online). http://www.rense.com/

National Renderers Association (NRA). (2013). The Rendering Process. National Rendering Association. (Online). http://www.nationalrenderers.org/about/pr ocess/

Olawale O (2013). Making Agriculture Cool and Funky- My Learning. (Online). http://www.caadp.net

Phipps, Osborne, Dyer, Ball, Lloyd, Edward, James, Anna. (2008). Handbook on Agricultural Education in Public Schools. Sixth Edition. NY: Delmar Learning.

Prokop WH. (1992). “Food and Agriculture Industry”, Air Pollution Engineering Manual, chapter 13, van Nostrand Reinhold Press.

Shah P.K. (2011). Recycling of Dead Animals, and Slaughterhouse Waste. (Online). www.jivdaya.org/rendering_plants.html

Stephen O. ( 2011). Agricultural Waste as a Wealth Creation. (Online). http://cu rrentn igerianwea lthjobs.blogsp ot.com/ search/label/Agricuturewaste

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