Balling tails

Does anyone still ball the tails? I see very few now. I think it looks pretty good, and I plan on doing it next week at our county fair. It makes her butt look heavier muscled as well.

We do it on our top end heifers at big shows. My sister is as good at it as I've seen, so if she thinks we need it done, I just let her at it.

How does your sister do it? I learned two ways...to tease the hair, no adhesives, and to take the tail switch and turn it upside down, and spray in light amounts of adhesive, and kind of poof it...Both seem to work really well.

Well, we tease out the hair on all the tails, but I don't really count that as balling the tail.  The 2nd way is the way I was talking about.  She makes layers out of it and it looks super natural but holds its shape when she's done with it.

I still do it at the bigger shows.. I take sections of the switch and tease them with a plastic(wash) brush or fine tooth hair comb then I take tail ad. and spray on lightly forming a ball, tucking the longer strands under and shaping some more..then once I'm through I spray another coat of tail ad. on just to keep it from coming undone.... on calves that have good tail hair this isn't needed but some do.

LinZ

No one did there for a while, but in the past year and a half it's kind of made a come back.  The ball now is more of a tear drop shape then the old big ball, the base hair is teased and then the top layer of hair is combed down around it to smooth it out.  I hate balling tails!

I agree with Jill. I was glad to see tail balling disappear for awhile. I also see it making a comeback in some shows. I heard the Canadian Angus Association has banned the use of aerosols in their sanctioned shows so tail balling may die again. It wouldn't hurt my feelings at all if it stops again.

We try to do it whenever time permits.  I think it really pulls together the whole "look" of the animal, if done right.  As Jill said, it looks much better and more natural if done in the shape of a teardrop.  Good luck at your county fair!!