FAIR Project: Concerted Action Ref PL 97-3940
Factors affecting hide and skin quality: Development of strategies for improving the raw material of the leather industry.
PROJECT
DETAILS
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Hides and skins are an important by-product of the livestock industry. In order for Europe to compete with the cheap imports from developing countries, it has specialised in the areas of high quality and high performance leathers. However the potential benefits involved will only be realised when the hides and skins produced reach a consistent high quality, making them suitable for the manufacture of top quality leather products. A reduction in value of the raw material due to unnecessary damage has been quoted as approximately 900 million US dollars per year (750 million ECU).
Hides and skins may be damaged in several ways. Blemishes often arise during the life of the animal as the result of skin disease including viral, bacterial, helminth, arthropod, protozoal and fungal conditions, abrasions, prolonged contact with dung or brand marks. However the diagnosis and control of skin diseases appear to have received comparatively limited attention. Factors such as methods of flaying and storage of the hides or skins can also have a profound effect upon the quality of the final product. Research is being carried out at a number of centres to develop improved control methods for some of the above however, much of this work is being carried out by small groups of scientists working in isolation from each other.
Blemishes often remain in the skin long after the clinical condition has cleared up and many are not obvious on ante-mortem inspection or at the raw selection stage. The early detection of these blemishes is important as this would make it easier for information to be passed back to the producer and would allow the introduction of economic incentives for hide quality improvement. Little if any direct attention is at present given to hide quality by livestock owners.
The use of imaging technologies for point of delivery inspection of rawstock is being investigated and preliminary investigations of the use of X-ray and ultrasound imaging have been carried out. The further development of techniques for the detection of blemishes would allow the introduction of a system where the price paid to producers could be based on an accurate assessment of the quality of the hide and thus encourage the implementation of available control measures.
The general objective of the concerted action is the improvement in the quality of the hides and skins available to the leather industry. This will be achieved by exploiting the collective potential of ongoing research activities of the European Union through the linking together of researchers in different EU countries. The project will involve the exchange of information and research materials, and the identification of priorities for further research.
The general objective to improve the quality of the hides and skins will be achieved by meeting the specific objectives.
a. Forming a network of prominent researchers from all areas of hide and skin production.
b. From this network, research efforts within the consortium will be co-ordinated to enable studies to be complementary.
c. A working document outlining the needs of the industries throughout the hide and skin supply chain is required, and this will be prepared during the programme.
d. Production of a range of information on protecting hide and skin quality, in different media - including leaflets, computer training packages and on the World Wide Web.
The more specific results would
be:
(i) The establishment of a sustainable network involving European Union partners.
(ii) Increased awareness generally, and specifically within the key target groups of farmers and abattoirs, of the effect of diseases and damage on the value of hides and skins, and the adoption of improved control methods.
(iii) The establishment of a computer based information system for the World Wide Web to disseminate the available information.
(iv) Increased exchange of information, through the marketing chain for hides and skins, resulting in the development of improved control methods for the economically important diseases and damage that affect the quality of hides and skins.
(v) The development of a computer aided training package, detailing the identification and control of the economically important diseases and damage that affect the quality of hides and skins - in the five main languages of the partners (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish) to make sure it is accessible to the target groups - farmers, abattoir operators - in the partner countries.
(vi) Organisation of regular meetings to be held every six months; if successful, this would be self-sustaining.
(vii) Organisation of a workshop involving partners in the project and key personnel and researchers from related industries to discuss the priorities for further research.
(viii) A series of leaflets describing economically important skin diseases and damage to skins, both ante and post mortem, will be published in the five main languages of the partner countries (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish).
(ix) The information packages and leaflets will include briefing on the safety of handling and processing of hides and skins in relation to BSE - this is based on the following points:
- all animals known or suspected of suffering from BSE are destroyed entirely, including the hide or skin
- the WHO classifies the hide and skin in the safest category of organs in relation to infectivity of BSE
- the extreme conditions involved in processing hides and skins into leather, in particular the liming and tanning processes, would be expected to neutralise any biological agent such as BSE.
(x) A newsletter will be published at six monthly intervals to outline the current state of research. The target audience for this is the network and associated research workers in related sectors.
(xi) A final report will be prepared, and this will include suggestions and recommendations for further research required to continue the improvement in quality of hides and skins.
| Tasks | Month | Participants |
| Establishment of the communication network of European partners | Months 1 & 2 | Partner 1 and 2 |
| Preparation of web site begins to publicise network and existing information | Month 2 | Co-ordinator |
| Preparation of first six-monthly information brochure to disseminate findings | Month 5 | All Partners |
| Initial dissemination of information on World Wide Web completed | Month 6 | Co-ordinator |
| Preparation and translation of information leaflets begins | Month 7 | Partners 2,3, & 5 |
| Preparation of second six-monthly information brochure to disseminate findings | Month 10 | All Partners |
| Work begins on preparation of Computer Aided Training Package | Month 13 | Co-ordinator |
| Preparation of third six-monthly information brochure to disseminate findings | Month 17 | All Partners |
| Completion and circulation of information leaflets | Month 24 | Partners 2, 3 and 5 |
| Preparation of fourth six-monthly information brochure to disseminate findings | Month 24 | All Partners |
| Maintenance and updating of information on World Wide Web completed | Month 24 | Co-ordinator |
| Workshop for cross fertilisation of research ideas with related sectors | Month 26 | All Partners, plus invited representatives from related sectors and from national networks |
| Peer review of Computer Aided Training Package commences | Month 28 | Partners 1 and 3 |
| Preparation of fifth six-monthly information brochure to disseminate findings - including a report on the workshop | Month 29 | All Partners |
| Peer Review of Computer Aided Training Package completed | Month 31 | Partners 1 and 3 |
| Completion of Computer Aided Training Package | Month 34 | Co-ordinator |
| Maintenance and comprehensive update of information World Wide Web | Month 36 | Co-ordinator |
| Preparation of sixth and final six-monthly report to disseminate findings, including key elements from final report | Month 37 | Co-ordinator |
| Completion of Final Project Report summarising the state of the art in with input from each country with recommendations all other partners for further work | Month 38 | Co-ordinator |
MEETINGS
| Month | Meeting | Participants | Purpose |
| M2 Feb 1998 | Kick-off meeting | All partners | Explain tasks; confirm timetable and responsibilities; initial technical exchange on existing situation in each country; agree format broad content of 1st newsletter |
| M7 July 1998 | Meeting 2 | All Partners | Review timetable; detailed technical exchange on recent/current research; discuss broad content of 2nd newsletter. Discuss production of leaflets on hide and skin quality; review information on World Wide Web |
| M14 Feb 1999 | Meeting 3 | All Partners | Review new research and other activities; review/finalise leaflets; review information on World Wide Web; initial discussion of workshop; initial discussion of Computer Aided Training Package; discussion of content of 3rd newsletter |
| M21 Sept 1999 | Meeting 4 | All Partners | Planning of workshop; review of Computer Aided Training Package; review new research; discussion of content of 4th newsletter |
| M26 Feb 2000 | Workshop | All Partners plus invited experts from national networks | Report on results of Project along with exchange and cross fertilisation of views from invited experts on work being carried out and further research required |
| M26 Feb 2000 | Meeting 5 | All Partners | Review of workshop; further review of information on World Wide Web and Computer Aided Training package; discussion of content of 5th newsletter |
| M34 Oct 2000 | Meeting 6 | All Partners | Agree main conclusions for final report. Discuss broad content of final newsletter Discussion of follow-up action |
The proposed concerted action is expected to bring both economic/social benefits to the industry sectors involved, and scientific benefits.
Economic/Social benefits
A survey of the costs of avoidable damage to hides and skins in the European Union by COTANCE, the European Tanners Association, concluded that the loss in value amounted to approximately 900 million US dollars a year (~750 million ECU).
While these figures are, of necessity, broad estimates, they give an order of magnitude to the potential for adding value to raw hides and skins, and give an indication that improvements on a relatively small scale, or in a limited geographical area, have the potential to generate a very worthwhile level of additional value.
The European leather industry suffers considerable losses due to the downgrading of hides and skins due to unnecessary damage, because it affects the industry’s ability to produce the high quality leather which is necessary to serve its target market. The farming and meat industries also share these losses, because lower quality hides and skins cannot realise the same financial return as good quality material when processed into leather.
Improvement of hide and skin quality is a way of securing added value in the farm and meat industries. It would also help to secure the financial stability of the tanning industry in Europe and help to secure the 50,000 direct jobs in the EU (plus related indirect jobs) and exports worth over 4,000 million ECUs.
Implementation of the project would establish the magnitude of the financial losses incurred as a result of disease and other ante and post mortem factors which cause hides and skins to be downgraded, and so heighten the awareness of authorities and producers of the need for control measures
Scientific benefits
The most significant aim of this proposed concerted action is to allow key researchers within the consortium to meet at regular intervals and discuss the current state of research relating to quality issues. Through this the effectiveness of the on-going research will be increased by a combination of efforts.
Skin disease is one of the most important factors resulting in hides and skins being downgraded or discarded. The work would help focus attention on the need for development of improved diagnostic/detection methods and control measures which would also have an impact on animal health and welfare issues.
The consortium brings together an interesting balance of scientists/research groups involved in the improvement of hide and skin quality. It is designed to strengthen the research capabilities of the various laboratories involved through the provision of training, and the establishment of collaborative links which will give greater focus to the collective activities of the consortium than would be possible through their individual endeavour carried on in isolation.
It is also intended that over the 3 year concerted action, the consortium will become self supporting and so will continue its efforts after the final report is published.