Rinsing Calves During Winter

[Angus Cattle Girl]

Who all here rinses their calves during winter? Kurt Stierwalt has said to rinse them once a day during the winter months? Any opinions?

 

[Hitch]

It does not make a bit of sense to me.

 

[Colorado2008]

We rinse in the winter. It does no harm...actually it does them good (their hair that is ) If it is cold (like it was here in CO last winter) just blow them out and put some kleen sheen or revive i ntheir hair. Be practical about it. I see no reason why you shouldn't rinse in the winter time.

 

[iowahawkeyes]

Cold is a very relative term. It gets really cold (-20*)and windy here. By Canadian terms, that's working weather, am I right Canucks? With that said, it's probably more important to keep the calves fairly clean of sh!tballs so the hair won't come out when you try and wash them. We are lucky enough to have a show barn and that enables us to work the calves in the winter.
If you do choose to wash when it's cold, make sure and thoroughly dry the calf. That will take forever if they have a good haircoat.

 

[ArrowHBrand]

We don't have any show stock this year, but in the past once the last show was over in September, we would let them out to pasture and that would be that until the spring. Sometimes if they are feeder calves we kept them up to keep them on feed and handled, but no washing or rinsing.

 

[Daisy452]

Who all here rinses their calves during winter? Kurt Stierwalt has said to rinse them once a day during the winter months? Any opinions?

I had a friend that would wash hers, twice a day in the winter. be out there walking her calf, while it was snowing. her calf looked real nice come fair time. just make sure to blow dry real good.

 

[SHOWMOM]

We go by the if you can see their breath we don't wet them down. We do a lot of brushing all winter long, but on nice days with upper 50 degree days we will rinse them down if we can get them blow dryed quick. We live is SW Arkansas and it isn't bitter cold but it can get rather nippy at times. Brushing them down good and keeping fresh shavings in their stalls, is what we mainly do when it's lower 50s and 40s .....

 

[brenda]

we wouldn't rinse every day, but weekend day, we would rinse and blow dry really good, use kleen sheen to keep their hair conditioned and from drying out

 

[TheBullLady]

Rinsing here in the winter is no big deal.. but I live in Texas!

 

[Avalon]

The best of the best have always rinsed daily. My son recentley graduated so we do not show anymore. we jsut sell'm to people who do. He rinsed about every other day. What I can tell you is the more you rinse the better/thicker the hair coat. (more to work with) if you do rinse every day be sure to use klean shene and rag oil to keep the hair healthy. it can dry out.

 

[hill70]

I wondered that too about rinsing in the winter. We live in Alberta so a nice winter day is about -15 to -10, and we dont have a water heater in our barn so the water is very cold. I'm afraid when it's like that they'll get sick even when they are blown off until completely dry.

 

[t&d farms]

we've always rinsed our 4h steers in the winter. not everyday but at least 2 to 3times a week. we've never had a problem with a steer getting sick. always make sure that they are COMPLETELY blown dry. we get some nasty lake effect snow here. so you gotta be careful walking them in it. dotn want them to slip or fall

 

[r and s peckman]

I have heard of using windshield washer fluid during the winter. Haven't tried it though.

 

[Heiferguy]

the most important thing is when you wash in the winter(we do everyday) is to get them back inside(dont let wind hit them) and dry them off so they wont get sick. im the person that when your driveing down the road you will see me out side walking and washing my calves when its snowing or when there is a foot of snow on the ground.