Summer Hair Care Program

[red]

I sent the admin this to use as an article for the front page but wanted to get it for Farmboy too. I don't have a cool room but find that really working hard can grow hair too. Even w/ a cool room you need to work & work! There are no short-cuts in my opinion.
Good luck!
Red

Summer Hair Care

*Make sure you are feeding a sound nutritional based ration. Too many times this is one of the most overlooked  areas when trying to grow hair. If you are adding extra products, make sure the total ration is balanced. Too “hot” of a ration can burn hair also. Adjusting quantities can also throw off the mineral & vitamin ratios.

*Work, work & more work!!

*If you use a cooler room- make them large enough for the cattle to move around (approximately 20 X 24) use fans to circulate air.

*If cattle are in an air-conditioned cool room, do not tie them up and make sure they have plenty of fresh water at all times.

*Keep air-conditioning set between 45-55 degrees.

*Do not turn cattle outside until dark and at least 70 degrees or cooler.

*Keep pens as dark as possible, no sunlight.

*If you don’t have a cool room, use fans continually and also follow dark rules. Use a misting system if possible.

*Rinse 3 to 4 times daily
      5:00-6:00 am
      Noon-1:00 pm
      6:00-7:00 pm
      Rinse before turning out at night

*Work, work, & more work!!!

*Rinse each calf for 30 minutes every time you rinse. It is very important that he is cold from rinsing. He should feel cool to the touch.

*It is not necessary to use shampoo every day. I use it just once a week but use a hair conditioner twice a day.

*After rinsing, use a rice brush to remove excess water. The brush will stimulate blood flow to the hair.

*Use a roto (drill) brush once a week on the entire body and everyday on the legs.
        Be very careful not to catch the tail in the brush!
        Let the brush do the work
        Use it on a damp calf
        Start at the bottom and work upward on legs
        Do not push the brush but use a light touch

*Work, work & more work!

*Have patience there are no short cuts to growing and keeping hair! Stay on the program and you will start to see results of your hard work in 30-45 days.

 

[Showcalves]

I plan on showing this to our boys next week.  We're in the middle of a family crisis right now, but next week it's back to lots of work on the heifers.  You've got lots of good info in that article.

Melinda

 

[red]

Hope things get better!
I have learned over theyears, lots of trial & error!

Red

 

[farmboy]

WHATS THE ROTO BRUSH DO AND WHAT EXACTLY IS IT ))

 

[Clubcalfshowgirl]

I dont have a cool room i live in FL and all i do is leave fans on 24/7 one has a mister that i use during hotest part of summer.I get home from school pull them out rinse of wash if needed keep cool water on them for 10min or so and then take back to chute and blow them dry and brush and use rice root brush and comb legs and then cond. them and blow in and brush and MAKE SURE have fly spray on b/c FLYS seem to not let hair grow! If i keep flys off the hair seems to grow better but thats my EVERY nite routine.Oh ya and walk and set up and excersie them

 

[red]

Farmboy-

Most show supply places have them or on-line at www.sullivansupply.com
You use it in a drill as an attachment.

Red

 

[DL]

Man Red I thought you were coming up with help for my hair! ;D ;D

 

[ShortyJ13]

Thank You Red! I will be sure to keep some of this in mind. just purchased a roto brush today...

 

[OH Breeder]

Farmboy-

Most show supply places have them or on-line at www.sullivansupply.com
You use it in a drill as an attachment.

Red

A thying or two with the Roto Brush. They make a half synthetic and half rice root. The half and half last longer. When ever you work the hair always make sure there is an light oil in it. Spray the leg with final bloom and work against the grain of the hair. Start at the bottom of the leg always spinning the drilll away from the leg working down to up. Get a good reverseble drill. CAUTION- while doing the rear legs, use an old tube sock or something to keep the tail out of the way. It stinks when you get it caught in the drill. Most calves really like it after a few times. It take about 45 minutes to do the legs all the way around. We have had calves that really like it down there backs and on there sides. It will stimulate the hair to grow and CUTS your hair training down in half the time.
If you use a drill with a cord it usually over time breaks at the entry point to the drill and can give you a pick me up if you aren't careful. A cordless power drill with a long half life and reversable is the best.

 

[red]

Real good point OH B! I used te drill at first w/ the cord & then switched to the cordless. A lot better without the cord!
I know some perfer the brush w/ the rice bristles & others the nylon. I guess I liked the rice the best.

Red

 

[ShortyJ13]

Hey Red!
i just wanna say,
-THANK YOU SO MUCH!-
after i read this post i started doing all the steps day by day,
and lemme tell ya!
it gets up into the 100's  where im from during this time of the year and my calfs' hair is 4 inches long!...  ;D​

 

[red]

I am sooo glad! It takes a lot of hard work but it can be done, even without a cool room. Glad I could be of help!

Red

 

[SKF]

The roto brush works real good on getting off caked on mud. When we hit rainy season we flood big time and no matter what you do there is mud everywhere and the calves can't lay down in it fast enough!

 

[knabe]

ok, i know, i'm crazy, but i can't resist.  one of my employees tried to set up a part time job as an autodetailer.  got a fake business name license etc.  he was doing this on the side at a used car dealer.  then had to deal with zoning, can't do it in a residential area etc.  they told him he had to contain all his water in a mat with something like this.

http://www.rightlook.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=64

and filter the water and put it somewhere, even if the soap was "organic".  this is similar to the honda cvcc engine which was cleaner than engines from other cars that needed a catalytic converter.  but no, can't base it on emmissions, everyone has to have a catalytic converter whose manufacture also causes problems.

when it rains, the runoff from the highway is far more toxic than this.  it's why the roads are so slick after the first rain.

soooooo, i was thinking, just wait till the government gets ahold of show cattle and all the runoff and volatiles from spray cans, oh it will never end.

i can understand the soap being an issue, but is this really a percentage pollution problem when we should just be really outlawing cars and creating green collar jobs?

when will it end, seriously.  why would anyone want to work for themselves and expose themselves to this bs when you can just vote with your dollars and make the big boxes come in so you kids can get a great job at one of these places?  believe it or not, america is pretty much the cleanest country in the world.  but man, do we hate independent business people.

 

[farmboy]

I FINALLY GOT MY ROTO BRUSH BUT IT SEEMS A LITTLE LATE BUT NOTHING HURT, MY STEER LOOKS BEST WITH "MEDIUM" HAIR

YOUR SUPPOSED TO LET IT SOAK 10 -12 HOURS RIGHT?

 

[red]

some come pre soaked. The last one I bought was already soaked.

Red

 

[justme]

Never too late farmboy.  It really helps with training the hair ect.  and it helped calm our heifer down.  You could shoot a shotgun around her now and she would probably yawn.  With the ordeal your calf went thru, I think the more you put your hands on him the better.

Good luck!

 

[farmboy]

HE'S MY TAMEST CALF YET, I COULD RIDE HIM LIKE A LONGHORN BUT THE ROTO BRUSH IS GREAT FOR HIM AND HIS HAIR AND I LIKE IT

 

[red]

use it while he's wet & you'll get the hair trained in no time.

Red

 

[farmboy]

i am