Abstract: Pet chews (140, 141) are made from pieces of cleaned cattle hooves (10) by reducing the hoof pieces to a range of particulate sizes, such as by tumbling the pieces of hooves within a rotary chipping drum (62). The particulate hoof material (30) is separated by size at a shaker table assembly (104). Several sizes (A-E) of particulate hoof material are combined in chosen proportions with a collagen protein binder (144) and formed into the pet chews, typically by compression or by extrusion, having appropriate strength, hardness and toughness.
Abstract: A pet food flavor enhancer (46) is made from pieces of cleaned cattle hooves (10) by reducing the hoof pieces to a granular size (40) by tumbling the pieces of hooves within a rotary drum (62) having inwardly opening louvered openings (74) formed in the circumferential sidewall (66) of the drum. The louvered openings have sharpened cutting edges (76) so that the pieces of hooves are chipped as they strike the cutting edges. The chipped pieces of hooves are collected after passing through the louvered openings and are separated by size at a shaker table assembly (104). The shaker assembly separates the desirable granular hoof material product from larger hoof material (36) and smaller hoof material (42).