Abstract
Currently, between two and four billion pounds of feathers are produced annually by the poultry processing industry (1). These feathers present a disposal problem, and are usually converted to animal feed. A method of effectively stripping the feather fibers from the quill without damaging the fibers has been patented, and as a result research is being conducted to determine uses for these fibers (4). Current research has focused on creating latex bonded fabrics containing turkey feather fibers for utilization as erosion control fabrics. These fabrics have been compared with currently available erosion control fabrics to determine their suitability for this particular purpose. The turkey fiber fabrics performed similarly to the commercially available erosion control fabrics tested in terms of light and water transmittance. None of the fabrics significantly affected the pH, nitrogen or phosphorus content of the soil even though the turkey fabrics had fully decomposed by the conclusion of the experiment. The turkey fabrics increased soil moisture content and decreased soil compaction, which are critical properties for successful ecological restoration of habitats. One significant drawback of the turkey fabrics was difficulty in handling and installation on the site compared to the two commercial erosion control fabrics tested.