LPT 312: Abattoir Practices and Animal Products Technology (1+1)

AIR-DRYING

• It is an age-old method for the areas where relative humidity is low it is done in three different ways.

Ground drying

• It consists of stretching out the hides with their flesh side up.
• Though it is the cheapest and easily adoptable for rural people with fallen hides, there is problem of blemishes, which become apparent on tanning.
• There may be problem of hair-slip and blisters due to incipient putrefaction of epidermis and hair follicles.
• However, in summer months, the hides become much wrinkled and fetch only half the value of salt cured hides and skins.

Suspension drying

• It is simple, cheap and effective way of drying in tropical countries.
• It allows free circulation of air, sunrays strike the hides and skins obliquely and cooling of hides take place rapidly.
• The hides and skins become light after drying, so transportation is cheap.
• Suspension drying can be done in several ways

Frame drying

• This is done on an angled frame, which is appropriately oriented to the sun.
• The frame may be in the form of hoop, tripod or bamboo square.
• Line drying is more suitable for sheep and goatskins.
• Here skins are spread on horizontal cords with their flesh side up.
• In tent drying, the hides are supported over the ground in the shape of a tent by cords or wires.
• In any case hides and skins take a minimum of seven days to dry.