TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOTECHNOLOGY - Preferred Method: In (M), the keratin containing compositions are selected from feather, dead birds, poultry waste, and their combinations. The keratin and the bacterial strain are combined with poultry manure and water in a composter, and the degradation step takes place in the composter. (M) further comprises:(i) treating the feathers to facilitate enzymatic degrading prior to the step of combining the feathers with the bacterial strain, where the treatment is selected from steam treatment, chemical treatment, grinding, hammer milling, or their combination; or(ii) disposing the degraded feathers by landfilling, applying to soil, or mixing with soil for agricultural purposes.The enzyme is allowed to degrade the feathers for a time sufficient to increase the digestibility of the feathers and produce a dietary protein product suitable for use in animal feed. An effective amount of the bacterial strain is combined with the feathers in a poultry waste digestor, and the natural gas produced by the degradation is collected. WIDER DISCLOSURE - Also disclosed are:    (1) bacterial strains useful for degrading keratin, particularly from wild birds and able to degrade feathers, especially Bacillus licheniformis O.W.U. 138B or 88B;    (2) keratin-degrading enzymes produced by (1);    (3) preparing a keratinase from Bacillus licheniformis O.W.U. 138B or 88B.    EXAMPLE - A wild bird was captured and the feathers of the bird were rubbed with a sterile saline solution. The applicator was placed in a nutrient broth of sodium chloride content ranging from 7.0 % to 8.0 % weight/volume and a pH ranging from 7.0 to 7.7. The broth was incubated at a temperature between 45 - 60 degrees Centigrade for a period of 2-14 days. Any surviving bacteria were grown on trypticase soy agar until colonies were formed, and bacteria from an individual colony were transferred to a physiologically balanced solution containing feather. The solution was incubated at a temperature between 35 degrees Centigrade and 60 degrees Centigrade for a period of 1 to 28 days. Solutions in which the feather was not degraded were discarded, while solutions in which the feather was degraded were retained.