First clip job

[Camo]

Well I'm a neebie and this is my first clip job. So how did I do? What can I work on?  We paid 100 dollars for this steer out of the field for my sons market project. He weighed 495 on Nov 1 and our fair is in Sept? I have been reading all your blogs and leaning a ton, like working on hair with all your concoction lol. thanks

 

[linnettejane]

wow, $100...what a deal!!!  not bad on the clip job...maybe blend the hair from the shoulders into the neck a little more....

 

[shortyjock89]

I think you did a pretty nice job for your first try, looks like you got all the basics down already.  The biggest thing that I can see from this pic is that you should blend from the short hair in the front end to the longer hair all over his body....the way I like to do this is to take a medium (5/8ths) blending blade and kind of fade from the short to long hair gradually, remember to make more passes instead of taking more hair off in less time.  Looks like a pretty good project for $100. When is your weigh in?

 

[Camo]

I will get that 5/8 blade and try it . Our wiegh in was Nov 1 and the next one is in April or May. Its really hard to find someone to always clip and fit so I am bound and determined to learn to do it. I would like to take Stierwalt class if he comes close enough. Thanks

 

[shortyjock89]

I've never once hired someone to fit or clip for me or my siblings...I think it's much more fufilling (not to mention easier in the checkbook) to learn to do it yourself.  The best thing you can do is keep practicing, you can get a lot better at it in a hurry if you pay attention to where you made your mistakes..I learn something new every time I pick up a set of clippers, and I've clipped a lot of cattle.  I've never personally taken a Stierwalt class, but he IS the best out there at teaching to a big group.  I highly encourage going to the camp, or at the very least, getting the videos. 

I wish my first clip job looked as good as that, it was a mess after my 10 year old self got after that first shaggy little calf!

 

[Camo]

we have only done market steers 1 year  and i wish I did when I was growing up.  We had horses!!!  My 2 boy have market steers this year and at darn near 40 im gonna learn it with them.  In the past we have had market lambs, pig and goats. But my fav is those fuzzy rough tongued calves. thanks for the encouragement

 

[kanshow]

Pretty nice for a first time clip!! 

 

[austin]

Yep, really good job for first time.  (thumbsup)

 

[Camo]

thanks! What do you think of the steer?  I know its hard to see in a pic, but does he look heavy enough

 

[shortyjock89]

He's gonna need to gain around 2.4 lbs/day to get to 1200 lbs by your county fair, and most steers are able to do that fairly easily.  I would start pushing him now, what are you feeding him, and how much?  I think he's a pretty dang nice steer for what you paid for him. I'd like to maybe see him a little deeper throughout, and maybe a little heavier boned, but he's a decent little calf.  Are you having fun with him?

 

[Camo]

Hes eating about 16 pounds a day. I anm feeding 12% show n Flake with Dac Show Cattle and Dac Bloom. I was feeding a blend from the feed mill near me but it wasnt consistent. So i went to a bag feed that a couple people around here use. Im getting a set of scales soon so I can keep an eye on his weight (last year I was a little heavy.) And yes we are having fun!

 

[shortyjock89]

Sounds like you're right on track to be weighing in that 1250 range for your fair.  A set of scales should prove to be very useful...I wish we had some.. We just always decided on how to adjust their feed intake based off the external fat that we could feel on them....we haven't showed steers in a couple years, but we might this year if we don't get the last one sold.  Good work so far, and having fun is the most important part!

 

[Camo]

I've been watch an electronic set of scales on ebay for $475 and free shipping. A couple of friends have them and said they work good. So you don't show you just raise them?

 

[shortyjock89]

I've been watch an electronic set of scales on ebay for $475 and free shipping. A couple of friends have them and said they work good. So you don't show you just raise them?

We show heifers and bulls.  We sell all of our steers to 4 H kids usually.  We have one May steer that no one has bought yet..and he's way too good to send to the sale barn.  If no one buys him, we'll take him to a couple county fairs instead of one of our heifers and save her for Nationals or State Fair.  I just got out of 4 H, but I have a sister and three brothers that are still in it...one of my brothers is 6, so I'm sure we'll be back to showing steers all over the place in a couple years.

 

[Camo]

Wow what a feed bill is all i could think reading that.  Hahaha.  Well thanks for all the info I appreciate it.  Hope I can pick  your brain again on another topic sometime.

 

[shortyjock89]

Wow what a feed bill is all i could think reading that.  Hahaha.  Well thanks for all the info I appreciate it.  Hope I can pick  your brain again on another topic sometime.

Feed does get costly, but it's usually well worth it....I'd be glad to help out anytime, and there are plenty of people on here that are much smarter than me!

 

[OH Breeder]

Well I'm a neebie and this is my first clip job. So how did I do? What can I work on?  We paid 100 dollars for this steer out of the field for my sons market project. He weighed 495 on Nov 1 and our fair is in Sept? I have been reading all your blogs and leaning a ton, like working on hair with all your concoction lol. thanks

I blew the picture up and he is not bad at all. He is alittle stretched out but a nice calf. The hair on the shoulder needs to be blended into the body. Comb it straight up and then proceed to blend it as you go. Sometimes if you comb it straight up and come at it from just behind the shoulder clipping forward it helps a bunch. Don't forget to trim around his navel for a cleaner appearance. I strongly recommend the Stierwalt video. We watch it all the time. The first few times we clipped I got colored chalk and followed the video.

Our county fair is the same time in september. Our champions our usually in the 1300-1350 range and 49 to 51 inches at the hip. We show by hip height. I would definitely keep track of his weight. If you can get him to gain 2.5 to 3.00 a day that would be great. We have used a product called Fast Fat in the past that helps with weight gain. I know there are other products like it that work just as well. The last 298 days we do use Opti Flexx and it also helped but our calves were already fat which is important. Keep us updated as you go. LOOKS great for first time. Ours had a few holes in them.  :-\

 

[BCCC]

Looks liek you might need to shave some hair off of his sheath, and clip his under line some, but other then that it looks great!

 

[Steer Boy 101]

lot nicer calf for 100 bucks than i could ever find

 

[Davis Shorthorns]

Wow what a feed bill is all i could think reading that.  Hahaha.  Well thanks for all the info I appreciate it.  Hope I can pick  your brain again on another topic sometime.

Thats what everyone is here for.  Oh by the way if you find anymore 100 dollar steers like that let me know.