Dictionary Definition
cowhide
Noun
1 leather made from the hide of a cow [syn:
cowskin]
2 the hide of a cow
3 a heavy flexible whip made of braided cowhide v
: flog with a cowhide
User Contributed Dictionary
- Leather made from the hide of a head of cattle. Compare horsehide, sheepskin, kidskin, etc.
Extensive Definition
Cowhide is the natural product/by-product of the
food
industry from cattle.
Used in items such as shoes and leather
jackets, it ensures that less of an animal is wasted
post-slaughter.
Process
Once a cow is slaughtered, the skin is removed.
It is then selected in the raw state, at the very first moment when
it is salted. It is organised by size and colour. In the tannery, a
traditional hair on hide tanning method is employed to ensure that
the hide is soft, and less susceptible to odour and moulting. It ensures that the
cowhide will last longer. It is then naturally dried and the best
hides are separated from the rest, with the ones that cannot be
used in full as decorative items separated to be used as patchwork rugs. These are usually those with
damage (for example cuts and other injuries to the skin during the
life of the animal) that causes the skin to tear post drying.
Use
Cowhide can be dyed to resemble skins such as
tiger or zebra skins, but dyeing is usually
reserved for the lower quality cowhides. The best quality hides are
usually presented in their natural colours, which are, of course,
based on the breed of the bovine.