clipping sale cattle

[powerstroke8357]

How do most of yall clip cattle before a sale? Most people I have talked to just slick shear them about a month before the sale. It happens to be Herefords and I have a bull, a cow with about a 6 month old calf, and a yearling heifer to clip. How would yall do it?

 

[MikeC]

Some people burn the excess hair off with a torch.

 

[ilfarmer92]

Rule of thumb for me:

Anything over 2 yrs will be slick sheared. I usually do a month and a half before sale.

As for calves, I fit them like they would be going into a show ring.

Im guessing you are entering these cattle a Purebred Sale rather than just the regular sale barn. I've raised Herefords for a while now and the above methods have worked will for the cattle I sell through Association Sales.

 

[karlie45]

I train, clip and fit as if they were going to a show. Including everything over two years.
IMO, if you slick shear them when they have hair, a buyer that wants hairy cattle might back down from the calf. Besides, a lot of people asume that it is a nice calf if the hair hides flaws. I am not trying to sound like I 'trick' people, but to me..its show rules in the sale pen.

Mike C, could you please explain the hair torching to me? I have never heard of this before.

 

[Chris H]

Depending on where the sale is you might do better to hire a fitter.

 

[novatech]

Commercial sale barn, Maybe trim their tails a little to make them look younger.
Registered sale Everything I can to give me a few more dollars.

Don,t know if I would have ever gotten together with my wife had she not been wearing makeup.

 

[ENNOT]

What kind of sale is it? If it's a registered sale, I would get them clipped like you are going to a show.

Torching (propane torch) them doesn't look real good on Herefords, you can do it, just don't torch the white. You can burn down the tops and shoulders, but hitting any white makes them look yellowed.

On black cattle, thats all I pretty much do any more. It saves a bunch of time and if you take care when doing it, they look better than ones that are clipped. That's not even slicking them down with the torch. Actually works good on all cattle except those that are red and white. I've done alot of sales and never have figured out how to get the Herefords done real nice with a torch. Usually just clip the cheeks, brisket, trim up the neck and topline then burn the tops and shoulders.

I wouldn't slick sheer anything unless it is in the summer. Slicking any other time of year looks like crap. Also any cold temps can make them real sick.

 

[arkcowman]

Novatech, Stop it you're killing me. Hope your wife doesn't read these boards.

 

[Frankie]

How do most of yall clip cattle before a sale? Most people I have talked to just slick shear them about a month before the sale. It happens to be Herefords and I have a bull, a cow with about a 6 month old calf, and a yearling heifer to clip. How would yall do it?

For bulls in a spring sale, we try to get them torched. If we can't get that done, we'll trim their head, ears, face, tail, sheath.

For registered cows, we trim their head, face and ears and trim the tail.

 

[TheBullLady]

We always clip for a registered sale. Just that added "touch" that shows you have pride in your cattle. It will show, believe me!