Getting that fluffy coat

[Jotto]

No matter how hard I try, I can't achieve that lovely soft fluffy coat that most others can. How often do you wash and dry or just comb the hair on the coats of your steers/heifers per week? Are there any awesome products you would recommend? We use Revive mostly. We are in Australia so our cattle are always outside in the paddock. Thanks

 

[OH Breeder]

Depending on climate there is different oils that have different weights that you should use on calves at different seasons. The hotter it is the less revive you should use. I have always been told that it can trap heat. We use kleen sheen mixed with rag oil and double dip. Sometimes add a cheap condition brush in blow out. WInter or dry patches use Revive. When hot we do not use Revive as much. Winter months it gets cold and we wash when need to and have a heated wash rack. Summer we rinse twice a day and I know some families that rinse more. I would watch a daily hair care video to help. Your best friend is a rice root brush. It stimulates natural oils and hair growth. We use another product with roto brush on the legs and we brush the tail daily. I like to use ethnic hair products on coarse hair like the tail and the leg hair if its short and difficult to work. The calves need shade in the more sun there is and kept in an area that you can provide air flow.

 

[Tallcool1]

In the winter, we use a lot of oil...I personally don't care what kind. Sometimes we use final gloss, sometimes revive, mostly the cheap Olive Oil from Wal Mart. Just whatever we have at the time.

What I find makes the biggest difference is the use of fans. After we rinse/wash, we put 3 fans behind each steer. One directly behind, one at 45 degrees on each side...so the three fans are circling the back of the steer. We use the blower just enough to straighten their hair and dry them enough that we can get a comb through them. Then just brush and comb them dry. Once they are dry, mist on the oil with a blower. Blow it in at a 90 degree angle so it gets to the skin. Then just comb it in and let them stand in front of the fans for an hour or two.

Personally, I hate rice root brushes. We use the cheap $4 coarse bristle plastic scrub brushes. I feel that they stimulate the hide better. Also use the square paddle brushes from Wal Mart.

In the summer we use almost NO chemicals. Conditioner once a week, and Sheen diluted 1:5 with water.

The other thing we do is pour with Cydectin...A LOT!  Every time the calves are exposed to other cattle (shows) we pour them.

 

[Warrior10]

Don't forget genetics.

 

[OSmith1999]

Don't forget genetics.

Yes, this is part of it, but if you work hard you can get good hair on other non hairy genetics. It's just hard work.

 

[hamburgman]

The other thing we do is pour with Cydectin...A LOT!  Every time the calves are exposed to other cattle (shows) we pour them.
[/quote]

Good lord that can be a lot of pouring.  You worried about lice?

 

[Cham2135]

Wash
Brush
Dry
Some kind of sheen
Dry

Do twice a day

We have done this before we got a cooler room and had good hair. Just keep them on clean bedding, out of the heat, and put a few fans on them.

We have an old brick barn for are show calves. Stays cool in the summer     

 

[Tallcool1]

The other thing we do is pour with Cydectin...A LOT!  Every time the calves are exposed to other cattle (shows) we pour them.

Good lord that can be a lot of pouring.  You worried about lice?
[/quote]

Yes.

Worried about them rubbing a hole in their hair.  Once they do, the hair is never quite the same in that spot.