Where to start with hair?

[rrblack78]

Where do you start with hair on a new calf. Our calves are fairly young, just pulled from their mommas a few days before we picked them up. At this point they haven't learned all their manners yet. We can barely get in the stall to tie them up so we can rinse them. Are we suppose to clip off shaggy dead hair? What products do you start with on so new a calf? Thanks in advance!

 

[rrblack78]

Did I mention this hair has to be grown under fans and a mister in the southeast Texas heat because we have no cooler? Did I mention we need show quality hair by the first of November for a very important show? Did I mention we have no idea what we are doing and always find ourselves in these crazy perdicaments?

 

[Honkomp]

I would start combing them to get the old dead hair out of their coats and to calm them down.

 

[crystalcreek]

What show are you targeting?  Read this, it's got a lot of good stuff in it

http://www.steerplanet.com/bb/hall-of-fame/mixing-kleen-sheen-and-vinegar/

 

[rrblack78]

Our heifer is my sons Houston scramble calf so Houston is our target show but the there is a scramble progress show the first week of November we have to attend. We were hoping to do a couple of jackpots before that just for some feedback. Our steer is for county way down the road in March but we plan to jackpot him along with the heifer.

 

[JosiesCattle]

What I was told is you need to sheer off the dead hair so you can regrow new.
And you actually dont need a coolbox, I meet these people down at a show and asked how they got there steer so fuzzy and about there coolbox, they just rinsed their steers twice a day and also brushed them till they were dry.
Everyday Twice A Day!!

 

[Mainevent]

The only thing with slick shearing one is you are knocking on the door of being too late for spring shows. And you are too late to have hair for fall shows unless you bust your butt. I slicked my steer last week but he won't go anywhere till december, january.

 

[rrblack78]

We have only had them a week but I'm nervous about hair on the heifer for the scramble show. The steer will be a spring slick shear.  It doesn't seem like we have enough time to get the kind of hair we need in Nov. right now the calves are being tied up twice a day. While tied they get rinsed and brushed as dry as we can get without a blower. Then an attempt at leading is being made(without much luck at this point). They spend the afternoon under fans and a mister until evening when they are tied, rinsed, brushed and led again before being turned out for the night. When have not attempted the wash rack or trim chute yet to blow them dry. We haven't used any product either. My husband wants to wait to start this until it's cooler. He says it too hot for the blower and oil based conditioner. How long should we wait to start training the hair? I feel like we should have already started.

 

[Mainevent]

What I do is rinse in the morning, soap depending on how dirty he is. I Sheen with a mixture of hair liniment, brush down, Till somewhat dry. I then feed and let him air dry. I let him eat where I then blow him out. He stays under the fans a port o cools till afternoon where I rinse again and sheen again feed cycle continues.

 

[vc]

You have 4 months until your fair, get a shedding comb and just start combing and brushing until its out. Rinse at least once a day and brush until dry, I would run the fans on them the same time your brushing, help get them dry and cool them at the same time.

Genetics will help if you don't have a cooler, some calves will get hairy other not so much, all you can do is put in the time and effort, if she has the genetics you should get hair.

 

[Bradenh]

Use a grillbrick and get it out- as much as you can because the faster the bad hair comes out the faster good hair will grow back- dont slick them this late in the game as said before use a grillbrick instead and it'll pull out what you need

Along with the hair growing routines listed- it may seem contradictory to be pulling hair out with a grillbrick and trying to grow it at the same time... But doing that makes sure you have the best hair growing possible

 

[rrblack78]

Thank for the comments and advice. I have been searching all the threads on washing, rinsing, blowing, growing hair and fitting and I'm learning a lot. I'm a planner and a worrier. And it seems like every thing that can go wrong will go wrong with us. As to the genetics the heifer is a registered Angus and her background is pretty solid. She is the best calf we have ever had.

 

[vc]

She may not get a lot of hair being Angus but if the hair she does get is worked and give her a softer fresher look the is all you can ask for.

Remember getting good hair does not happen over night, that is why most people start 3 to 4 months in advance to get it. So don't get frustrated just keep working it, it will come in time.

Good luck

 

[rrblack78]

Here is a picture. Not to bad for her first real bath and blow dry.

 

[DLD]

You have 4 months until your fair, get a shedding comb and just start combing and brushing until its out. Rinse at least once a day and brush until dry, I would run the fans on them the same time your brushing, help get them dry and cool them at the same time.

Genetics will help if you don't have a cooler, some calves will get hairy other not so much, all you can do is put in the time and effort, if she has the genetics you should get hair.

This X2

We hardly use blowers this time of year.  Or soap, or anything else except for a little sheen and fly spray.

Your heifer looks good.  Just keep on keepin' on - you'll be fine.

 

[cowboy_nyk]

If I were you, I'd take a 1/2" guard and shave her front end to get rid of the brown fuzzy hair.  It'll grow back darker now that you are working with her more.

 

[angus214]

We like shedding comb for young calves. We rinse twice a day and brush brush brush! We use ezall soap once every 8-10 days and we use Kleen Sheen and vinegar to keep the hair conditioned. Ours are under fans by 6:30am and turned out at about 7:30-8:00! Water and a rice root brush will be your best friend! Don't forget to brush the legs! Good luck y'all will do just fine. We are in MS and we grow hair with fans, water, brush and elbow grease! 

 

[rrblack78]

Thanks for the replies. I think we are on the right track for now. Of course it will all change once school and football start.