Hides cattle

Limed hides Cattle hides Non gelatin base proteins, carbohydrates Aqueous CaOH 40.000-130,000... 

The fiber stmcture is very fine near the surface of the skin and this fine stmcture imparts a silky feel to the leather. The smaller the animal of a given species the finer the surface fibers. The value of the skin or hide is then dependent in part on this smoothness (2). Calfskin leathers are smoother and have a silkier feel than cattle hide leathers. Calfskin leather is used in the shoe uppers of high quahty, expensive men s and women s shoes, and specialty items. 

The manufacture of leather foUows the same general steps for a great variety of leathers (Fig. 2). The largest category of hides taimed is catde hides. Of the cattle hides chrome tanning of unhaired hides is by far the dominant system used throughout the world. The tanning of other types of hides and skins requires variations in the systems used for cattle hides (3). 

Fig. 2. Process flow diagram for the production of chrome-tanned cattle hide leather. Adapted from Ref. 3.

Meyer, M., Muhlbach, R., and Harzer, D. (2005). Solubilisation of cattle hide collagen by thermo-mechanical treatment. Polym. Degrad. Stab. 87,137-142. 

The Germanakos SA tannery near Athens in Greece was founded in 1978. Today it produces good quality upper leather from cattle hides, processing 2200 t/yr and with an annual turnover of 2007 USD 11 million and a staff14 of 65. 

Ticks, arachnids of the order Acarina, are bloodsucking parasites which are of major economic importance in cattle production. Infestation by ticks leads to losses in meat and milk production, reduction in hide quality and exposure of the host to any diseases for which the tick is a vector. Moreover, the resulting skin lesions are sites for infestation by other parasites and infection. Control of ticks of the Boophilus species is of major importance in view of their widespread distribution (Australia, South Africa, South America, Mexico and Southern North America). This task has been made more challenging by the emergence of strains resistant to one or more of the classes of compounds described below. 

Both cattle and sheep are subject to infestation by lice and mites. Lice are wingless insects which spend their entire life cycle amongst the hair or fleece of their host. They may be divided into two types, sucking lice and biting lice, both of which can cause severe anaemia, especially ip young animals. Production losses result from nutrients taken from the host s blood by the enormous populations of lice that can result if careful control is not observed. The quality of the hide or wool will also be impaired. 

Collagen. Cattle-hide collagen was obtained from Devro, Inc. Somerville, New Jersey. The fibrous collagen was washed with 10% sodium chloride solution, followed by washing with distilled water. The collagen was freeze-dried and stored at 20°C. 

Younts-Dahl, S.M., Galyean, M.L., Loneragan, G.H., Elam, N., and Brashears, M.M. 2003. Prevalence of E. coli 0157 in Beef Feedlot cattle and on hides at slaughter after supplementation with Lactobacillus and Propionibacterium-ba.sed direct-fed microbials. J. Food Prot. (in press). Zourari, A., Accolas, J.P., and Desmazeaud, MJ. 1992. Metabolism and biochemical characteristics of yogurt bacteria. Loitll, 1-34. 

Use Pigments, ceramic enamels, aniline colors, decolorizing agent in glass, insecticide, rodenticide, herbicide, sheep and cattle dip, hide preservative, wood preservative, preparation of other arsenic compounds. 

Hypoderma bovis (cattle grubs), which enter the hide anti cause annual losses of about S330 million in ihe USA, and considerably more in other major cattle-producing countries, can be controlled in nonlactating cattle by insecticide applications in sprays, pour-ons and spot-ons. 

Bayer AG, Germany used to be the key manufacturer of PCMC and its formulations. However, most of the countries including Germany have decided to procure the material from developing countries. There is substantial cattle population in Australia, Newzealand, Pakistan, W. Europe, USA and of course in India. Because of significant production of hides and skins, PCMC has proved to be extremely popular in these countries. World demand has been estimated at 500 tpa for PCMC and its formulations. 

The pour-on or spot-on tick/flea products can also present unique challenges to the formulator. With these products there is a need to deliver accurate amounts of active topically and, depending on the mechanism of action, one may wish for the active to stay on the skin or in the hair follicles and be effective for one month or longer. The challenge is that these products must also be inherently safe for children when they pet their dog, or, for example, to the other cattle that may lick the hides of their field mates. 

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