To Dye or Not To Dye?

[Angus Cattle Girl]

I have 2 steers this year for county fair. They both have a red tint to them, seeing as how they are Angus X. I got my new Sullivan's book a couple of days ago and I saw their new hair dye?

Has anyone used it yet? I would really like to try it.

Also, for hair dye, everytime you bathe the animal, does it just come out little by little? I'm worrying about that because if it does do that at county fair and someone sees it, I could get in trouble.

I would probably dye them the day before we take them in and they have 3 days at the fair grounds, which means 3 trips to the washrack. What do you think I should do?

Any suggestions would be helpful.

-Angus Girl

 

[Bez>]

The title is To "Dye or Not To Dye?"

I know there is a win at all costs attitude at some shows - but my response is NO!!

You got an animal - you show it as it is finished.

That is why I like to throw a bucket of water on a steer to see how it really looks.

Hair people get p is ss ed - but I want to see the true animal not some frigging fake.

Spend big money for a professional animal hair dresser and then the judge wets them down - makes a lot of people laugh as well.

Do as you see fit - but I have never shown an animal that was anything other than what it truly was to begin with.

Let the debate begin!

Have fun,

Bez>

 

[Moocow11]

i have used it before. it does rinse out little by little but not enough to see it when you wash and rinse. i would do it.

 

[rimranch]

First off Is it really against the rules to dye? If you could get thrown out it is not worth it if you get caught.
But if you are just makeing the animals "Blacker" and would not get kicked out and lose anything you win its just that the other exibitors wouldn't like it then sure why not.

I used the dye it works really good it did just a few spots on my steer for county and i did not notice any color washing out but i was not really looking that close and i was there for seven day, the spots were still black when i left

 

[Moocow11]

dying is against the rules. however using black finisher and other things like that. you wont see any wash out so i would use it

 

[richburg102]

dying isnt against the rules unless it specifically states that it is illegal to dye

the black velvet works great and i would never use young color again after using black velvet.

dye them a day or two before and it takes two to three week to come off

i dye my steer for the spring fling may 26 and now a week later he is still as black as he was and i have washed him at least 8 times since i put it in him.

one of the only rules to dying cattle is changing to color of an animal......like dying a white steer to black.......all you are doing with dying the hair is enhancing the color......the way i look at it is he was black before you dye him and he is black after you dye him

 

[Moocow11]

dying isnt against the rules unless it specifically states that it is illegal to dye

the black velvet works great and i would never use young color again after using black velvet.

dye them a day or two before and it takes two to three week to come off

i dye my steer for the spring fling may 26 and now a week later he is still as black as he was and i have washed him at least 8 times since i put it in him.

one of the only rules to dying cattle is changing to color of an animal......like dying a white steer to black.......all you are doing with dying the hair is enhancing the color......the way i look at it is he was black before you dye him and he is black after you dye him

i was trying to figure out how to say that but i am kind out of it. so yes what richburg102 said

 

[AAOK]

We have shown calves all over the Country, and I have never seen Show Rules that stated "No Hair Dyeing". However, most shows do not allow changing color, such as dyeing a white udder.

Dyeing dead hair is an integral part of proper presentation, as long as it is not against the rules.

 

[iowahawkeyes]

When is the show? If it's a long time off, shear the calf and grow out the summer hair. Dead hair looks horrible on a show calf.

 

[Angus Cattle Girl]

The show in in the beginning of August so I don't think shearing them down would be too good. I may do that next year though. The show will be in August again so when should I shear them?

And I should shear them all over, or just their bodies, not legs?

 

[chambero]

The answers posted here regarding legality of dyeing is correct. Most rules state you can't change color pattern. Not all, but most.

I've used Sullivan's dye and it is probably a little better than Young Color II and significantly cheaper. It wears off very gradually - but will not "towel" off if wiped at a show.

 

[Grand Chaser]

can you clip any of the tint off?? but i wouldn't die themit is not that easy. i did it one time an i will never do it again.

 

[iowahawkeyes]

The show in in the beginning of August so I don't think shearing them down would be too good. I may do that next year though. The show will be in August again so when should I shear them?

And I should shear them all over, or just their bodies, not legs?

You have time to shear. Just do the body, not the legs. You have to get the winter hair out or they will shuck it themselves and the calf will be bald.

 

[Angus Cattle Girl]

I am just worried that if I shear them now, they will not grow their body hair back in time for fair

They are naturally short-haired anyway, their genes containing nothing of the club calfs super long hair.

So you still think I should shear their bodies, just to get all of the dead hair off and to make it look nicer?

-Angus Girl

 

[Colorado2008]

I would not shear them. It is way too late in the game to do that...especially here in Colorado. Read your county rules. If they only state that you cannot change the color pattern of the animal, then you should be fine just getting the black blacker.

If its the dead hair that you are worried about, get a grille brick. (they can usually be found in the horse grooming section, sullivans has them as well, but they are called something different) These work great gettting the dead hair out.

 

[L Weir]

What is a grille brick and how do you use it on hair?[/quote]

 

[Colorado2008]

http://www.sullivansupply.com/Iowa/detail.aspx?ID=12680

 

[Colorado2008]

http://www.sullivansupply.com/Iowa/detail.aspx?ID=12680

I go with the flow of the hair when I use it. It is generally used for shedding out horses or on hogs to 'tame wild hairs' but i think that it works great for getting rid of the dead hair on the show calves.

 

[TxSimbrahShower]

Not trying to derail thread, but: ? my son's black heifer went back to the breeders for two months to be bred, came back with the red tint hair. Got her back on the minerals for our area and she's back to black now. So isn't some of the red tint on black animals caused by some sort of mineral deficiency?

mom

 

[karlie45]

Not trying to derail thread, but: ? my son's black heifer went back to the breeders for two months to be bred, came back with the red tint hair. Got her back on the minerals for our area and she's back to black now. So isn't some of the red tint on black animals caused by some sort of mineral deficiency?

mom

Yes, I beleive you are correct. I may be wrong..but I think it is copper deficiency.

It also could have been that she was outside a lot at the breeders? I know that happens with ours. We keep them in the barn during the day to prevent it. They go out at night. but after their last show and we are weaning them off feed, they get to go outside whenever and they tend to tint brown.