Feathers are by-product waste of poultry processing plant and produced in large amount. Waste feathers from poultry were not a major concern for the environment or for the plants and poultry farms. But with the increasing production of poultry which might be accompanied with an increase in feather waste. In this study, feather-degrading bacteria and the production of keratinolytic and proteolytic enzymes by these organisms was investigated. Isolation of bacteria from poultry waste dump site and identified by the standard method, such as morphological and biochemical characteristics and they were tested for the ability to degrade feather. Six strains of Bacillus were identified from the sample; Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.Optimization was also done, includes pH, temperature, carbon, nitrogen sources. Compared to the other species, Bacillus cereus was showed maximum degradation of keratin at the pH 6 and temperature 400 C, Protease (2.016 IU/ml) , ammonium phosphate as the best nitrogen sources. lipase (0.20 IU/ml), production Lipase production by Bacillus cereus were pH 8 and temperature 800 C,yeast extract as nitrigen sources and sucrose as the main carbon sources for the protease, lipase optimization. Biodegradation of feather by B .cereus can be used for high level of productivity compared than other species. The keratinous waste can be biologically degraded by enzymes or the microbes itself to form useful products. These isolates are therefore promising organisms for biological means of waste management through biotechnological processes.
