Growing Hair

[jaydill]

Alright well...I'm back again. I've gone from the skittish steer I asked for help on how to lead, to taking Champion Simbrah at my first show (with a calf anyway. i used to do the goat/rabbit thing) He's an extremely leggy 785 pound, 8 month old calf. (weight dropped before the show because he had the scours the whole week before so i had to cut back on feed) It was the legs that won me the show. Well, the Simbrah I showed against had a massive amount of hair. I'm sure he just had more hair to begin with than my steer had, but I was wondering for some tips on how to get his hair to grow? I've got a fan and misters on him day and night, and the barn is relatively cool. I rinse everyday, wash with Mane & Tail Shampoo twice a week and condition with Mane & Tail Conditioner everyday. I already use a rice root brush to stimulate the hair follicles...but I'm not satisfied with the rate at which his hair is growing. Please help!

Jaydill

 

[certherfbeef]

Just a tip with the misters...

They need not run all the time. The actual cooling process happens when the moisture is allowed to exaporate off the animal.

So rinse in the morning blow him near dry then put him infront of the fans. Run the mister for a little bit at lunch time. Rinse him in the evening blow him near dry and back infront of the fans.
Don't let him out till dark and have him in before sun up. Sun will negate all your hard work in just a few hours.

And you ought to wear out a rice brush this show season on that animal. Brushing stimulates the hair folicles, which inturn stimulates hair growth. Just when you think you can't brush anymore, go over him one more time.
Takes a lot of time and dedication to get that hair just right.

Most of all HAVE FUN and enjoy your time in the barn with the animal. Not too many kids nowadays get the pleasure of the farm life.
Please feel free to pm me.

 

[txshowmom]

You seem to be doing everything you can to get that hair to grow. Center is correct and you should try that too but sometimes (a lot of the time) genetics plays more of a role in hair than anything, and you can't do anything to change genetics.

 

[showme]

Just a tip with the misters...

They need not run all the time. The actual cooling process happens when the moisture is allowed to exaporate off the animal.

So rinse in the morning blow him near dry then put him infront of the fans. Run the mister for a little bit at lunch time. Rinse him in the evening blow him near dry and back infront of the fans.
Don't let him out till dark and have him in before sun up. Sun will negate all your hard work in just a few hours.

And you ought to wear out a rice brush this show season on that animal. Brushing stimulates the hair folicles, which inturn stimulates hair growth. Just when you think you can't brush anymore, go over him one more time.
Takes a lot of time and dedication to get that hair just right.

Most of all HAVE FUN and enjoy your time in the barn with the animal. Not too many kids nowadays get the pleasure of the farm life.
Please feel free to pm me.

Listen to this guy but how many fans do you put on him I put 3 fans on my cows 2 of the Sullivan Turbo fans and one of those big big fans that you can buy at walmart I hang them up in her stall and tie her up in the stall instead of outside so I would not have to hall the fans outside. Maybe you can try that Shag I hear it works but never used it the only thing is, it cost $225.00 I order some to see if it works suppose to come in Thursday.

 

[madbeancounter1]

I don't advocate this but the boss is so competitive that he traded out some accounting work and installed a 5 ton AC in the shed. Brings his steers in there and ties them in the rack and shuts the lights out.

Me, I've got just an old high speed cage fan and little Stanley turbine fan. My daughter's heifer seems to be growing hair just fine and she's not in complete darkness either.

 

[showme]

About 2 or 3 years ago we went look at some cows at this place and he raise Brangus cattle and steers he installed a cooler in his barn it was so big it could fit about 12 head in there it was for growing hair. It worked he sprayed hair builder and that cooler it would help them with there eating because it was so cool. Made some long hair!!!

 

[txshowmom]

About 2 or 3 years ago we went look at some cows at this place and he raise Brangus cattle and steers he installed a cooler in his barn it was so big it could fit about 12 head in there it was for growing hair. It worked he sprayed hair builder and that cooler it would help them with there eating because it was so cool. Made some long hair!!!

Also maked for DEAD cattle if you are not careful.

 

[SF]

Air conditioned barns? Air conditioned trailers? :shock: I've heard of people doing this with terminal show steers, never heard of anyone doing this with breeding cattle. Wonder how these bulls and heifers are going to do once their show careers are complete and they must go out in the pasture and do some work.

 

[txshowmom]

DIE!!!

EXACTLY

 

[cul8r]

Air conditioned barns? Air conditioned trailers? :shock: I've heard of people doing this with terminal show steers, never heard of anyone doing this with breeding cattle. Wonder how these bulls and heifers are going to do once their show careers are complete and they must go out in the pasture and do some work.

It's no different than the ones that have been under 3 or 4 fans w/mister's. You gradually wean them off the coolness.

IMO, the long hair is just false advertisment. Follow one of those big fluffy animals over to the wash rack after they show, when they wash all the show prep stuff out, most of them are skin and bones. They will never make it in a show that is blow and go.

 

[certherfbeef]

They will never make it in a show that is blow and go.

In this area there are no blow and go or slick shows.

The kids is willing to spend a little extra time to make his calf look the best he possibly can. I vote good for him.

 

[cul8r]

The original poster here is in Texas. The majority of the majors in Texas, except I think for Ft. Worth, are slick shear steer shows. Alot of the county shows are still hair shows, but, then the steers have to be fed an additional 30 to 60 days after the show to be fit to eat.

I personally like to eat steak off those steers, not the hair.

 

[SF]

The original poster here is in Texas. The majority of the majors in Texas, except I think for Ft. Worth, are slick shear steer shows. Alot of the county shows are still hair shows, but, then the steers have to be fed an additional 30 to 60 days after the show to be fit to eat.

I personally like to eat steak off those steers, not the hair.

I don't personally care for the slick shear shows. I like to see some hair on the steers.

 

[certherfbeef]

I personally like to eat steak off those steers, not the hair.

Me too, I just answerd the origional question.
And Not for sure, but I don't think the origional poster sounds like he is off to any majors. ;-)
Just wants his calf to look the best. No harm in that.

 

[showme]

The guy's name is Garett Thomas if you want I can find out where he live and his number if yall dont belive me. ;-)

 

[showme]

that was about 3 years ago.

 

[jaydill]

well
1. my steer is terminal
2. he will do just fine at a blow and go.. the haired breeds in our barn do just fine
3. he is a simbrah. they are not naturally long-haired, so of course the one fan running idea (which im already doing) isn't enough to grow the hair on him.
4. i think i will try what the first reply suggested, as well as a few other small tidbits i picked up here and there.

thank you for your help

p.s. i'm a girl

 

[kaneranch]

If you poor ice cold water on them it works well for growing hair. I have never done it but I have seen other people to it. Snow is the best I think though, but it is hard to come by in some areas. THanks Kaneranch

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

by having a X-bred steer you are gambling with genetics. The steer you have has probably thrown more to the brahman in it. Besides, isnt it summer over there?