Lots of Questions!

[gallowaygirl]

OK. I have a couple questions. My show is August 17th-22nd. Anyways. Here are my questions.

I am showing a cow/calf pair. Should the cow's udder be empty/full/half-full?? My plan was kind of to let the calf nurse at 8AM, 12PM, 4PM, and the show is sometime after 6:30. If she is on a regular 4-hr schedule, will her udder be properly sized during the class?

Also, since I have Galloways and they have lots of hair, should her udder be clipped or anything? It gets really fluffy when I blow dry it, is it best to just leave it natural?

The calf just had her Bangs vaccine (she's 5 months old) which is great. However, now she is getting green ink all over herself!! Is there anything that might help get this off her body and out of her ear? (Green doesn't look so gorgeous on a WHITE cow!!)

Finally, any clipping ideas for these long haired girls?? I will try to get pictures once it stops raining for more specifics. Thanks in advance!!

 

[KNERSIE]

Should the cow's udder be empty/full/half-full??

Full, but not to the point where her teats are pointing sideways or dripping milk. If we show in the morning we take the calves away at midnight after nursing.

Also, since I have Galloways and they have lots of hair, should her udder be clipped or anything? It gets really fluffy when I blow dry it, is it best to just leave it natural?

Clip the udder and clean up her head, neck and ears

Is there anything that might help get this off her body and out of her ear?

Methylated spirits will take the ink off in her ear, nail polish remover will also do it if you can't find the spirits.

I use normal dishwashing liquid to make the white clean and very bright white.

 

[LoveMoo11]

Well I guess at this point you are already at your show...but anyways:
I always showed my cows bagged up, udder clipped. As long as she wasn't leaking or looking funny, which usually wasn't the case because the calves were a little older. I usually let the calves suck very early in the AM, then not at all til later. Show was noontime. Makes it a lot easier to get the calf to follow mom at show time :lol:
With the long haired types its a lot harder to clip, you should practice blending so the clipped parts and natural parts don't look so stark. You want to clean up her neck, head, trim her belly hair, udder, topline if she needs it, then blend well around the clipped area. Try holding a finger under your clipper head and/or holding the clippers upside down to blend more easily. You can try rubbing alcohol to remove the ink the best you can, and I agree with Knersie on the dishwashing liquid!! Hope you had good luck and a fun show!

 

[gallowaygirl]

Thanks for the replies, haven't looked back here until now, Heifer calf got Overall for our breed, judge didn't believe me when I told him my cow was 10, he thought she was 4 or 5!! He was very impressed with her and her production of nice calves, even more surprised when I told him I have her full sister, 11yrs, still producing the best calf annually. The green finally came out, the morning of the show, thank goodness. :frowns:

 

[Avalon]

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: Great to hear.