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It can be seen that the rotating drum can save time and salt for hide salting comparing to wet and
dry salting in cement tank. However, this method requires high investment at first due to the high price of the
drum. It is suitable for the large scale of hide collection at a time.
2. Temperature between the two pieces of hides on stack. The stack of salted hides in this study had no
more than 150 pieces at a time. The temperature in between the two pieces of hides on the stack was quite close to
the ambient temperature. From western experience, some heat produced while many hundreds of hides were piled
(Bongkotpanarai, 2007).
3. Moisture. Hide samples at neck were taken for the analysis of moisture content. The moisture of
green hide varied from 55 to 69%. Drum salted hides were piled on the curve bottom of cement tank for days
before transport to the tannery. Table 5 showed the moisture content of salted hides in different length of stacking.
Drum salting could reduce the content of moisture in hide faster. While the price of hide was based on its weight,
the reduction of high weight means the decreased income of hide collectors in some amount. A trick in soaking
salted hide prior to the sale was commonly practiced which consequently lower its quality (Skunmun
et al
., 2005).
Table 5
. Average moisture content of salted hides (%) in different length of stacking.
Method of salting
Length of stacking (days)
1
2
4
7
12
Wet salting
-
40.91
-
39.30
31.20
Dry salting
-
45.31
-
35.69
-
Drum salting
39.89
-
35.03
31.50
-
4. Microorganisms. The seven groups of microorganisms found on salted hide were halotolerant
bacteria growing in different amounts. The use of salt at 50% of green hide could lower the amount of bacteria
comparing to lower percentage of salt used. It was noted that after 14 days of dry salting or drum salting, the hide
color mostly turned to be pink and sparsely orange which could be seen by naked eyes due to the produces of
some bacteria. In addition, drum salted hide had less amount of bacteria than the others. The same colors were
found in the imported hide (Bongkotpanarai, 2007) from western countries. From the findings of Birbir and Sesal
(2003), salt was a remarkable source of halotolerant bacteria growing in salted hide.
Assessment of hide quality
Three times of the general assessment for quality grading of wet-blue hides with the numbers of 154, 78
and 190 were conducted at the tannery. The origin of problems was classified into 3 categories; the management
and handling of cattle on-farm, hide removal at slaughter, and hide salting.
1. Management and handling of cattle on-farm. Defects on hides to be considered were a scratch, a
scar, hot branding, fine holes due to suckling and piecing insects called ticky.
