Author Topic: Tanning? (Read 2553 times)

smee2012 · « **on:** November 30, 2012, 10:30:28 pm »

Our meat lambs are being slaughtered in a week or so and I've just thought about the skin. I read somewhere that December is too late to get a sheepskin tanned (is that the right word?

) because of moulting. Our lambs were born in April, so would this still apply? It seems a shame to waste it! If I can't get it tanned, is there anything else I can do with it? They are Zwartbles lambs, just in case that makes a difference!

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** November 30, 2012, 10:50:28 pm »

It will partly depend on whereabouts in the country you are. It's best though to phone your proposed tanner and ask their advice

smee2012 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 30, 2012, 11:02:15 pm »

We are in Shropshire, just over the border from mid-Wales.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #3 on:** November 30, 2012, 11:09:05 pm »

That's fairly far south so it's likely your sheep's wool starts to rise early on, so would fall out in the tanning process. I would still check with the tanner. I wonder if they would make leather (vellum?) instead of fleecey skins for you

Bionic · « **Reply #4 on:** December 01, 2012, 09:56:40 am »

Smee,
I sent a mail to Nikki Port at Organic sheepskins when I was looking into what can be done.
This is her response, it relates to Ryelands but may still help because she is talking about timing.
Ryeland lambs fine for sheepskins, coloured and white. As soon as they
make weight, don’t leave them too long as Ryelands have a tendency to
go fat and the fleece gets dense and bouncy being a class one spinning
fleece, but a bit wobbly to stand on. They can even make baby rugs if
they make weight fast enough which Ryelands can.

Blacksheep · « **Reply #5 on:** December 01, 2012, 05:00:15 pm »

Hello Smee, we have taken some Zwartbles skins to Nikki Port in Herefordshire in the past, this is probably your nearest tannery, although if you are posting them the distance doesn't matter too much. It would be worthwhile contacting Nikki, I know she told me that Zwartbles tend to moult fairly early, early September time, but I am not at all sure whether they would have finished moulting by now or not, can't say I particularly notice much moulting on the sheep though! If you do take the skins you will need to print of 3 copies of a Defra form, you give one to the abattoir, you keep one and the other goes to the tannery with the pelts. You need to be prepared to salt the skins to cure them, this needs to be does as soon as possible, hopefully the abattoir will put some initial salt on them, and it takes 3 weeks or so for them to cure before they go off to the tannery, Nikki emails an information leaflet and will explain everything.