the general rule of thumb is 12 hours on and 12 hours off. we used on last year on Kahlua, my heifer/avatar pix, as she needed one just to clean her up a bit. start now to get ahead of the problem. genetics plays a big role with the tightness of the neck, but sweats can help a lot.
get the purple neck sweat from Sullivan's, and make sure that it fits her well, so it isn't too big and floppy. you'll need the large.
The Sullivan's Maximizer sweat is the new purple sweat that yields tremendous results. Extra thick 5/16” neoprene with fabric on one side. Designed to be left on the animal 6 to 12 hours per day. Must be removed periodically during the day to allow the hair coat to breathe. See dramatic results in just 3-5 days with the Maximizer Sweat. Made of a strong durable material. Completely machine washable. Removable velcro straps allow you to move and position as desired. Custom fit by trimming as desired. Large (fits animals 750-1500 lbs.) $48.50
when it says "
Must be removed periodically during the day to allow the hair coat to breathe.", it depends. we had it on Kahlua during the night, because we worked hair every 2 hours during the day. the sweat just kept getting in the way, and i constantly had to take it off to brush her neck. besides, when she was in the cooler, it was 45 degrees in there, so the sweat was keeping her warm, not hot. that's why we changed it to putting it on her at night. that way, it could work while she was sleeping.
WARNING!!!!- make absolutely sure that your heifer is comfortable with the sweat on first. put it on her during a time when you can watch her. what happened to Kahlua was a freak accident, but there is still a danger for anyone. our show calves were in a lot that had a Hi-Qual 5 bar, 2.5" pipe fence. there is about 1' between the pipes. the cooler wasn't finished yet, so the calves were outside during the day. it was mid-April, so it was still fairly cold. Kahlua had the sweat on, but she wasn't used to it yet. she got to itching on the bale feeder and got the sweat a little loose. then she decided to stick her head through the fence, and eat the grass on the other side. well, it is greener. :
because the sweat was loose, she couldn't pull her head back through. my mom came home from work to check on the calves. she found Kahlua on her side, legs straight out, eyes rolled back, foaming at the mouth, and barely breathing. we just happened to get out of school @ 11:45 that day, so we were home at 12:30, immediately after this had happened. there were some guys wiring the electrical boxes for our new barn, and mom ran down to get some help. one guy stood on the bar of the fence to create some more space, while mom grabbed Kahlua's head, turned and pushed. Kahlua was freed, but it took her a long time to get used to the sweat again. she couldn't even have a necktie on, because it reminded her of the fence. she's a happy cow now, but that day was too close for comfort.
so, make sure that your heifer is ok with having it on. when you adjust the straps, make sure that the sweat is snug, so that you can just slip a finger between the neck and the sweat. if you want faster results when it gets closer to your show, try the Hot Sweat, also by Sullivan's. but, this is some serious stuff. if your heifer has sensitive skin, it WILL burn her, because it did Kahlua. Hot Sweat can only be on for a few hours at a time, so you have to use it during the day, and you have to wash it off afterwards.
lots to read, but with experience comes knowledge, so i hope others can learn from what i have found. enjoy. ;D
