Yield /font>
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Bone account for an average of 15% of the weight of a dressed carcass.
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This amount varies with breed, age, state of nutrition, etc.
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It may be as low as 12% in beasts of top condition, and as high as 30% in emaciated cattle.
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The bones of sheep and goats average from 20 to 30% and of pigs from 12 to 30%.
Composition
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Bones contain 50% water, 15% red and yellow marrow, 12% organic matter and 23% inorganic matter.
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Bone marrow (red and yellow) consists 96% fat.
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The defatted and dried bone contained organic matter and inorganic salts material in a ration of 1: 2.
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Bone collagen is called ossein, which is the main constituent of the organic matter and accounts to approximately 33 to 36% when boiled.
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This organic matter yields gelatine.
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The inorganic matter consists of approximately 32.6% calcium, 15.2% phosphorus, small amount of sodium, potassium, magnesium, traces of copper, cobalt, zinc, iron, manganese, sulphur, etc.
Uses of bones
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In the past, bones have had many uses, for example, in the manufacture of dice, buttons and knife handles.
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Today plastic has replaced bones for these purposes and; this use for bone will not be described here.
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Because of the complex nature of bones, different processes have been designed to recover different components like fat, protein and inorganic material.
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Owing to its high calcium and phosphorus content, bone meal is used as a constituent of poultry feeds and as a fertilizer.
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Calcined bone, obtained by roasting in air, is used in the manufacture of high-class pottery and china, in the refining of silver and in copper smelting.
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