A pig scalder is a tool that was used to soften the skin of a

pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus ...

after it had been killed to remove the

hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and f ...

from its skin. Because people rarely slaughter and process their own pigs anymore, pig scalders are seldom used for domestic use. Modern swine processing plants use industrial scalders as part of their slaughterhall process. There were many shapes and sizes for scalders depending on materials used to construct it and how much was spent on it. In general, a pig scalder looks like a very large pot or tub. It would be made of wood or metal, though a metal scalder meant that you could build a fire beneath the scalder in order to heat the water inside. In

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

, many farmers use their old cast iron bathtubs for this job, but the tubs are becoming harder to acquire. Metal scalders were also easier to clean after use.

References

Farming tools Pig farming Meat industry Franconian culture {{pig-stub

See also

References