Cold Box

I need information on where to buy or how to build a cold box for show steers.  We have two steers that will show at county fair at the end of July.  We are in NM and it gets very hot here.  Hair is a big deal.  Thanks for your help.

I'm from New Mexico to. We just try to keep them out of the sun as much as we can with fans on  and wet them down twice a day for at least 30 minutes at a time it will droop the body temp. We brush them but we only blow dry the leg hair. This summer we had so much hair we didn't know what to do with it all.

Lacey

Go to http://www.coolcalf.com/ for more information.

(welcome)
Red

tshumate said:

I need information on where to buy or how to build a cold box for show steers.  We have two steers that will show at county fair at the end of July.  We are in NM and it gets very hot here.  Hair is a big deal.  Thanks for your help.

Click to expand...

What is your barn like?  Do you have an area near a window.  We use a big old swamp cooler (evaporative cooler) and run the cold air through an old window.  Cattle are tied in opposite so the air blows forward (toward their heads).  You can also run a regular fan in there, positioned so that all the cattle tied in get cool air circulated.
We also do what showcattlegal does..We feed early in the morning,we rinse and work the  hair forward in the morning before they go in the cooler.  As soon as it cools off at night they come out to eat and run around.  We only keep them in the cooler mid May thru Sept.

Reality check: Are e teachin' kids about beef, or groomin'?

There might be a fine line there Gary Bob but I think you can teach about both. Our nephews have shown cattle, done all the jackpot stuff & fitted them too. Now they're back on the farm raising cattle. I think the things they learned by showing gave them the love & desire to come back to the farm & work.

Red

I'm glad this is you guys and not me!  I don't think I could keep up with all this stuff to do for them!  Our poor brahma's lay out in the full sun in July 110 degrees and lay there like it was 65!  They hate the cool or cold!  Matter of fact, they shiver at the fair in July when we hose them down with the water hoses!

You guys have waaaay more patience and dedication than I!  My hats off to you who are this dedicated!  (clapping)

garybob said:

Reality check: Are e teachin' kids about beef, or groomin'?

Click to expand...

When my kids are working on their calves it is a 'total package".  Yes there are some kids who only grow hair, hire a fitter and show up ringside.  My older child is involved with choosing AI sires, heat synch, heat detect, calving, ear tagging, castration, vaccinating, fence fixing, cattle moving and hauling, making a budget, choosing a feed, tweaking the feeds, halter breaking, brushing,......and yes, rinsing and putting in a homemade cooler for 4 months out of the year.  Our swamp cooler was purchased by the kid at an auction for $10.  The fittings and hoses cost more than the cooler.

If you have a kid that loves the cattle industry as much as mine does, would you tell him that he should go hang out and smoke and race cars with the other kids in town?  I am happy that he wants to spend time and the discipline to learn to clip, grow hair and show.  Yes, we know that this is not necessarily the REAL WORLD.  There are cattle bred and kept for the commercial cattle industry...which we have.  There are the kind of cattle that are bred specifically for the show industry which we have for breeding our own show calves and for farm income.

You can spend your extra $ and time on boats and water skis or guns and hunting trips.......or junior cattle shows.  This is what we choose to do.  If you choose to make the commercial end of the cattle business your hobby, your reward is at the sale barn or in the feed yard.  Its your choice.

I just came from outside.  It's 45 here today. Drug my heifer through a couple of snow drifts that are still knee high. I shoveled off the snow in my rack rack, which is outside. Washed my heifer & blew her out. She's under the fans right now. If that's not dedication, then I don't know what else is! Maybe a loose screw too!  (clapping)

Red

Red, if you keep this up, you will have hair 5 inches long.  O0  Hope it warms up for ya...We are expecting our next big hit of snow on Saturday.

Way to go Cowz!  I feel the same way!  If my kid would rather wash pigs or ride his horse then that is one minute that i don't have to wonder where he's at or what he's doing because I know!  I would much rather haul him every weekend to a rodeo or showdeo then allow him to sit at home and play video games.  you know our county fair is the one and only time that i know of that you can turn your kids loose and let them be kids for the entire week, mud, water fights, rubber boots, junk food galore and all!  I live for that week! 

That's especially good if your kiddo is a teenager!  Too many kids that age have no parental guidance and that is how they get lost.  They literally just wander around in society looking for a purpose.  Too bad they can't all stumble onto 4-H or FFA huh?  Might really make the difference in a lot of em's lives.


Just my two cents.
;D