Hides and Pelts

In addition to cuts of lamb for our freezer, slaughter also produces raw hides which can be processed as pelts. Before the hides can be shipped for processing (at Buck’s County Fur Products, 220 ½ North Ambler Street, Quakertown, Pennsylvania, 18951) they need to be salted to remove excess moisture. The images below show how it’s done. (1) Here are the hides, still on the truck as they have arrived from slaughter. (2) There are the raw hides before their first heavy application of salt. Note how the are raised above the floor on panels; this allows for air circulation all around. (3) Depending on the weather, the first layer of salt may remain in place for 7 – 10 days. (4) Once it is clear that the salt applied during the first application is saturated with moisture it is removed and a second, somewhat thinner, application is mde. Again, depending on the weather, this second application may remain in place for 7 – 10 days. (5) Once the second salting is done we get the hides out into the sun on clear, dry, days. We’re careful to get them back into the barn before the dew falls. (6) This is what the dried hides look like just  before they are boxed for shipment.

 And this is what they look like when they arrive back from processing.

If you’d like to talk to us about the process described above please do not hesitate to get in touch via the link at our website. We offer pelts for sale seasonally; if you’d like to purchase one simply drop us a line and we’ll get back to you with details concerning availability, prices, and shipping options.