Hidden Value in Hoof Trimmings: New Study Reveals Sustainable Keratin Potential
A newly published review has highlighted horse hoof trimmings as a promising but largely overlooked source of keratin, opening up new possibilities for sustainable materials and circular resource use.
Published by Esther Trigueros, Sara Mattiello, Lisa Rita Magnaghi, Carlo Santulli and Raffaela Biesuz, the review explores how routine hoof-care waste could be repurposed rather than discarded, helping to reduce environmental burdens while creating value from an underused equine by-product.
Why Keratin Matters?
Keratin is a structural protein found in materials such as feathers, wool, hair and hooves. It is valued for its strength, stability, biodegradability and biocompatibility, making it attractive for use in fields ranging from biomaterials and tissue engineering to agriculture, wastewater treatment and composite manufacturing.
Despite this, many keratin-rich waste materials are still incinerated or sent to landfill, resulting in resource loss and environmental impact.
Why Horse Hoof Trimmings Are Different
The review argues that horse hoof trimmings offer a particularly interesting alternative to more commonly used keratin sources. Unlike slaughter-derived by-products, hoof trimmings are generated during routine farriery and hoof care, making them a cruelty-free and traceable feedstock.
In practice, this could involve collecting trimmings from routine farriery visits, processing them into keratin or powder, and supplying them as a raw material for use in manufacturing, agriculture or biomaterials.
The authors also suggest that hoof trimmings may offer advantages in terms of quality and purity, particularly as hoof condition in many horses is closely managed through nutrition, exercise and husbandry.
A High-Protein, Underused Material
According to the review, horse hooves contain very high levels of protein on a dry basis and are composed mainly of hard α-keratin. Their rigid, particulate structure also sets them apart from fibrous keratin sources such as wool or feathers, potentially making them suitable for different industrial applications.
This could include use as a reinforcing filler in bio-based composites, as well as a source of extracted keratin for use in films, hydrogels, scaffolds and other advanced materials. In a practical setting, this could see hoof waste either processed to extract keratin or simply ground into powder and incorporated directly into materials such as plastics or composites.
Challenges Still Remain
While the review presents horse hoof trimmings as a valuable untapped resource, it also makes clear that major research gaps remain. There is currently little published work specifically focused on keratin extraction from horse hoof waste, and more research is needed to assess extraction efficiency, scalability and sustainability.
The authors note that greener extraction approaches will be important if hoof-derived keratin is to be developed for wider industrial use. Alongside this, practical challenges such as collecting, storing and transporting hoof trimmings from dispersed equine facilities will need to be addressed to support large-scale use.
Reducing Waste, Maximising Value
Beyond extraction, the paper points to wider opportunities for direct upcycling of raw hoof powder, where trimmings could be processed and used as reinforcing materials without extensive treatment. Combined with effective collection and processing systems, this suggests a potential pathway from routine yard waste to usable industrial material.
Overall, the review positions horse hoof trimmings as a small but meaningful example of how equine waste streams could contribute to more sustainable and circular approaches in materials science.
Looking Ahead
Although much more work is needed, the review makes a strong case that horse hoof trimmings deserve greater scientific attention. As interest in renewable biomaterials continues to grow, this overlooked by-product may have significant potential far beyond the farrier’s floor. As a readily available, low-cost and non-toxic protein source with excellent biodegradability, horse hooves present an exciting area for future development.
If scalable systems can be developed, this could transform a routine by-product of hoof care into a consistent, circular resource stream linking equine yards, processors and manufacturing industries.
