Jeanne - Simme Valley":bu5sas23 said:
Bez - I totally agree with genetics. The Simmental cattle are not known for the "best" hair. Shorthorns & Maines usually sport "great" hair.
We don't worry about hair. Keep it pretty short. Don't adhesive it - just blow & show.
The EQ Solution is a costly product compared to dish soap, but it eliminates all the other products and produces clean, conditioned, shiny skin & hair. My hubby is a stickler on the wash rack, rarely lets anyone "help" him wash. He's totally sold on the product.
Hence the following:
Shorthorns - Great beef cow - the U.S. herd - in my opinion - almost completely ruined through show breeding.
Simmies - Great beef cow - not always wanted on the show floor. Great structure and great fleshing ability - but poor hair - hmmmm .... which would I want in the field? Hair or pounds?
Maines - Well, I have seen some great herds - but they have a rep in some areas for being a bit hard to handle.
Of all the above - if I had my druthers - I would have a herd of Shorties. BUt in the U.S. of A. almost everyone will roll their eyes when I say that. As well they probably should with what generally - repeat generally - is found running in the fields in today's market - poor animals but they grow hair!!!!
But go to Saskatchewan and Alberta - there they are the true beef animal. And they have a rep they truly deserve - easy to handle, eat anything, in fact thrive on poor ground, gain well, cross BETTER than these Murray Greys (bet that gets a reaction!!!
) and almost as good as a Herf! And raise a darned good calf on nothing but weeds and water.
Marble well and grade right up at the top. There are a couple on this board that can provide proof in pics. Have no problem being very popular in the prairies as they do as well or better than the (in)famous Black Angus. Man - maybe I should buy a few!
I am up front on this - I figure showing has ruined many good animals and I am dead set against hair issues and fluffing and adding hair and pumping and fizzing and so on.
Wanna' show a true performance beef animal? Wanna' show who has the BEST performance animals?
Place them in quarantine for one week on hay and water only - then (arguments can be made this is unrealistic and I agree - but for a major show? I say do it or be dammed) - place them in quarantine for another 24 hours - no food and water. Wet them down and THEN judge them. Only the best will make it rather than the person with the deepest pockets who can afford the best make up artist.
This from a family who has made a fair bit of bucks on the show circuit - but I am soured - to fake and phony now.
Now so I cannot be called a complete thread hijacker:
Anyway - back to the topic at hand - hair.
The holy grail. Yet you cannot eat it - therefore I am a proponent of wetting all show animals down with a bucket - so one can see what is REALLY there.
Any show person brave enough to do this and any judge with guts enough to do this - will only show or judge A BEEF ANIMAL. Not a puppy pet that would fall apart on grass.
So wash them with the cheapest dish soap out there - it does a great job and it is easy on the skin. Rinse them really well and then blow them dry. Stay away from the sheens - they tend to attract dirt and dust. The hair will look great and if the judge is a man / woman of integrity they will see past the hair and look at the animal.
Have a good one,
Bez!