Abstract
A total of 60 skins of Bengal goat from different age groups and sexes were considered in the present research. The skin histology and their changes in both untreated and treated skins at different time intervals together with the study on the chemical composition of the skin and physical properties of crust leather were undertaken in the research.
The mean thickness of Bengal goat skin was 1.865 mm and it was highest in butt, intermediate in shoulder and lowest in belly region irrespective of age of the animal.
The essential structural components of the skin became larger as the animal grew older. Irrespective of age and region, the collagen fibres were quite small, fine and were very compactly woven in the papillary layer whereas these were fuller, firmer and arranged in well defined bundles in the reticular layer of dermis. The collagen fibres were well defined and more compact in the butt, less compact in the shoulder and least compact in the belly region irrespective of age of the animal. Elastic fibres were mainly found in the papillary layer whereas reticular fibres were found in both the papillary and reticular layers of dermis.
All the structural components of untreated Bengal goat skin were found apparently normal in the skin collected 24 hr after slaughter but the collagen fibres showed some minor changes. Gradual deterioration in skin components was observed at 36 and 48 hrs after slaughter. At 60 hr, deterioration in all the skin components became more pronounced and the collagen fibres at this stage were found disintegrated, blurred, glued together and some holes were observed among the fibre bundles.
normal structural composition of Bengal goat skin was
well preserved upto 36 hr with sodium chloride, 48 hr with sodium chloride + sodium fluoride and 60 hr with sodium chloride + sodium fluoride + G-Ampicillin.
The average moisture content of Bengal goat skin was 67.69 per cent and it was highest in the butt, intermediate in the shoulder and lowest in the belly region irrespective of age of the animal. Moisture content decreased significantly as the animal grew older. The average moisture content of salt treated skin was 46.10 per cent which was within the recommended value of 45-48 per cent by the National Hide Association, U.S.A. The moisture contents of salt treated skin at different age and regions were same as in the untreated one.
The average fat content of Bengal goat skin was 3.94 per cent and linearly increased with increasing age. Regardless of age, fat content was highest in the belly, intermediate in the shoulder and lowest in the butt region. Irrespective of age and region, fat content increased significantly with the advancement of sampling time.