At its inception, Great Plains Protein LLC set out as its purpose:
The development of an economical and sound spent hen disposal system has been a growing concern of the egg industry for several years. Others have attempted to offer a variety of solutions.

Great Plains Protein directed its effort to the development of a spent hen product that would have a sound economic value and which would find economic acceptance in the feed industry. Thus Great Plains Protein has devoted it major efforts to establishing a proven spent hen derived feed product that is worthy of the industry and compatible with existing layer systems.

Great Plains Protein LLC has determined there are certain standards it must meet such as:
• utilized research trials to provide credibility and reliable third party data.

Great Plains Protein with the aid of the Iowa Poultry Association funded feeding trial work conducted by Dr. Michael Lilburn of Ohio State University. Dr. Lilburn conducted turkey-feeding trials from which he derived complete ileal amino acid digestabilities and feeding results for Great Plains Meal. The Protein Efficiency Ratio values calculated from the trial shows the positive relationship of Great Plains Meal (GPM) to meat and bone meal and soybean meal. (See the research data sheet and Dr. Lilburn's Ohio study.)

• Establish unquestionable biological quality, especially in today's environment of potential food system contamination and demand for food safety.

Biological quality of the finished product is a leading feature of Great Plains Meal. Multiple test analysis has proven a negative test on all pathogens including salmonella and has proven to maintain a very low bacterial count. This is due to the extrusion process creating a high heat environment for a sufficient time period resulting in an excellent kill of pathogens. All of the product sample tests have resulted in negative tests for Salmonella and less than 3 confirmed coliforms of bacteria/E Coli with an aerobic plate count of 1,400-7,500 CFU/G. This is especially meaningful with today's concern about such issues and the desire to feed for a healthy food product.

•Maintaining the highest standards in humane and sound husbandry in the actual removal of spent hens from the production system.

The removal of the spent hens from the laying barns and transporting of the fresh birds to Great Plains is both humane and environmentally sound. The Great Plains Protein process produces absolutely zero waste and recycles 100% of the spent hen. These are considered to be very important factors for the egg industry.

Today, Great Plains Protein is processing 50,000 spent hens per day in its Iowa plant. The Great Plains Meal is being utilized in a variety of animal feed rations and some pet food formulas. It is also being utilized in blended protein feeds.

The companies refinement of the production system has resulted in a finished product with low deviations from the product specifications and being delivered to customers as a fresh, consistent, flowable, quality product.

More research is being planned. With additional research and additional feeding trials Great Plains Protein is confident it will prove an even greater economic value for its product. Additional trials will bear out several of the intrinsic values yet to be economically identified which Great Plains Meal does contain.