Effects of breed and age at slaughter on leather produced from export lambs reared on hill country

Abstract

Abstract Groups of 20 Romney, Coopworth, and Perendale wether lambs were slaughtered at either 10, 20, or 30 weeks of age. The 10-week groups were slaughtered woolly; the remainder were shorn at 10 weeks of age. After slaughter, the skins were evaluated for suitability for wool-on tannage, treated with depilatory, and processed into crust leather. All unshorn skins were unsuited for wool-on tannage. Perendale shorn skins were more suited to clothing use and Romney and Coopworth shorn skins to rug use. Coopworth skins, pelts, and leathers were larger and heavier than those of the Romney and Perendale. There were significant breed x age interactions for changes in pelt area during processing. Skins, pelts, and leathers increased in size, thickness, and weight with increasing age. Perendale and Romney leathers had more extensible grain layers. Coopworth leathers were less resistant to tearing after adjustment for thickness differences. There were no interactions between breed and age for any subjectively ass...