Sources of damage to hides and skins

Damage to hides and skins during the animal’s life

1. Injuries / wounds that may be caused by rough handling and sharp objects such as barbed wire.
2. Some parasites like ticks can cause wounds which will eventually lower the quality of the hide or skin.
3. Diseases like ringworms in cattle and goats can also damage their skins by causing open wounds
4. Bad branding more especially at the thigh and back will lower the quality of hides and skins
5. Bad roping can cause calluses and wounds which will eventually lower the quality of hides and skins

Damage to hides and skins during slaughter

1. Incomplete bleeding which causes blood to remain in a hide or skin attracting microbes that may lead to putrefaction.
2. Dragging carcass on the floor or over sharp objects can damage the hide

Damage to hides and skins during laying

1. Delay in flaying after killing the animal will make the whole process more difficult hence prone to more mistakes during flaying
2. Use of pointed knives which may accidentally make holes in the hide/skin.
3. Mixing the hide with dung or blood during the process of flaying the carcass attracting microbe that speed up putrefaction.
4. Failure to wash and dry the skin immediately after flaying can encourage rapid decomposition hence reduction in quality.
5. The fresh skin should not be folded with the hair inside as these create anaerobic conditions that speeds up putrefaction.
6. An even removal of flesh from the hide causes distortion and damage of the pattern during flaying.

Damage to hides and skins during drying the skin on the ground can cause the following

1. Causes flaking due to over drying since temperatures are high on the ground
2. The fat on the skin/hide will melt and spread all over increasing chances of microbial attack.
3. Rain drops can collect on the hide/skin which may easily encourage decomposition  and hence  loss  in quality
4. The outside of the hide/skin is hard while the inside is soft i.e. there is uneven drying
5. There is putrefaction of the hide/skin more especially in spots which touch the ground

Damage to hides and skins during transportation

1. i) Bad packing causes the hide/skin to rub against each other which may lead to damage
2. ii) During transportation, rain can soak the hides/skin encouraging microbial action on them

Damage to hides and skins during storage

1. Pests like the rodents and insects can attack the hides while in store more especially if stored in poor houses
2. Moisture from leaking stores can soak the hide/skins thus speeding up decomposition

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Dr. Bbosa Science