PROCESSING OF TROPHIES
Our dipping
facility was constructed and built, strictly according to
the requirements and needs as required by the South African
Department of Veterinary Services. All national and
international requirements are hosted by us. This is
necessary for the successful export of trophies from South
Africa, as well as the successful import of trophies into
foreign countries.
Trophy
preparation is divided into two disciplines:
1. Skulls,
horns, hooves, claws, teeth, and bones:
All skulls will
be stripped from all meat and fibers. There after all
skulls, horns, hooves, claws, teeth and bones will be
exposed to a natural sun drying period. There after the
skulls, horns, hooves, claws, teeth, and bones will be
boiled and washed in a soap solution to ensure that any
matter other than skulls, horns, hooves, claws, teeth, and
bones is removed. After boiling and washing, the skulls,
horns, hooves, claws, teeth, and bones will be dried again.
After this second drying period, the skulls, teeth, and
bones will be bleached and washed again. The skulls, teeth,
and bones will be dried once again. The skulls, horns,
hooves, claws, teeth, and bones will then be treated with an
insecticide approved by the South African Veterinary
Services, and stored separately from unprocessed trophies,
awaiting crating and shipping. The processed trophies must
be separated from the unprocessed trophies, in order to
prevent recontamination of processed trophies.
2. Skins
:
All skins are
dipped in a solution of formic acid and sodium carbonate
(Na2CO3) for 72 hours. After the dipping process the skins
are exposed to a salt process containing 2% sodium carbonate
(Na2CO3) for 28 days. After the salt process, the skins will
be hanged for drying indoors. After the drying of the skins,
the skins will be folded and treated with an insecticide
approved by the South African Veterinary Services, and
stored separately from unprocessed trophies, awaiting
crating and shipping. Once again the processed trophies must
be separated from the unprocessed trophies, in order to
prevent recontamination of processed trophies.
FOOT AND
MOUTH DISEASE
For the
inactivation of viruses present in skins and trophies from
wild animals susceptible to FMD, one of the following
procedures should be used prior to complete taxidermal
treatment:
Boiling in
water for an appropriate time so as to ensure that any
matter other than bone, horns, hooves, claws, antlers or
teeth is removed;
1.
gamma irradiation at a dose of
at least 20 kilo Gray at room temperature (20°C or higher);
2.
soaking, with agitation, in a
4% (w/v) solution of washing soda (sodium carbonate - Na2CO3)
maintained at pH 11.5 or above for at least 48 hours;
3.
soaking, with agitation, in a
formic acid solution (100 kg salt [NaCl] and 12 kg formic
acid per 1,000 liters water) maintained at below pH 3.0 for
at least 48 hours; wetting and dressing agents may be added;
4.
In the case of raw hides,
salting for at least 28 days with sea salt containing 2%
washing soda (sodium carbonate - Na2CO3).
