shortyjock89
Well-known member
This time of year there are more and more good days out. So it makes sense to get your steer or heifer in and get them all shined up after a long winter. You go to comb the loose dirt out of them...and out comes a comb full of hair. There are spots on the calves where they've been rubbing, even though you've wormed them regularly this winter. It's already nearly april, the fair is just a few months away! What do you do now? Is the hair going to come back? What can you do to get your calves looking their best from this day forward? Never fear, this thread is here to ease your mind.
Anyone who has any special "tricks" should post them here, and anyone who has questions...post them too! This should help cut down on the number of these questions that will be inevitably floating around in the next couple of weeks.
My strategy- I really should have posted this about 10 days ago, but I think it'll still be useful. I always start to shuck our show heifers between March 15 and March 25th, depending on their age, where they are in their hair cycle, and what shows we're targeting for. This year, both of our "good" heifers will be going to Jr. Nationals, IL State Fair, and at least one fall major. I started actively shucking and washing daily March 20th, which is just over 90 days to Shorthorn Jr Nationals, and about 130 days before the State Fair. The first day of the spring shuck, I just use a curry comb and a regular toothed scotch comb. I start by combing down, then forward, then up. I don't get very aggressive with their bellies, tailheads, or legs, as new hair should come in those places much easier than their sides and top. I comb them all out, then wash as usual. Blow them, and then put Revive or some other conditioning product in them. The next day, and for about 10 days or as long as it takes to get 70-80% of the dead hair out, I use one of these https://www.sullivansupply.com/cart...t to change. Good luck, and happy shucking!
Anyone who has any special "tricks" should post them here, and anyone who has questions...post them too! This should help cut down on the number of these questions that will be inevitably floating around in the next couple of weeks.
My strategy- I really should have posted this about 10 days ago, but I think it'll still be useful. I always start to shuck our show heifers between March 15 and March 25th, depending on their age, where they are in their hair cycle, and what shows we're targeting for. This year, both of our "good" heifers will be going to Jr. Nationals, IL State Fair, and at least one fall major. I started actively shucking and washing daily March 20th, which is just over 90 days to Shorthorn Jr Nationals, and about 130 days before the State Fair. The first day of the spring shuck, I just use a curry comb and a regular toothed scotch comb. I start by combing down, then forward, then up. I don't get very aggressive with their bellies, tailheads, or legs, as new hair should come in those places much easier than their sides and top. I comb them all out, then wash as usual. Blow them, and then put Revive or some other conditioning product in them. The next day, and for about 10 days or as long as it takes to get 70-80% of the dead hair out, I use one of these https://www.sullivansupply.com/cart...t to change. Good luck, and happy shucking!
