Which way to blow hair?

[Snider_Angus]

OK so i have 6 shows coming up in 5 weeks. it has been pretty nippy around here on some days but other days it is nice, sunny , and warm. My question in after washing what direction do you blow the hair to get the fastest dry? Also the most effective way to get them dry? Right now i usually blow straight upwhen i have time on my hands but if i am rushed i blow it straight forward or upward at a 45* angle. Also how long does it take you to dry just 1 calf?
thanks.
Aaron

 

[cowgirl_telly_369]

Takes my sister about 10-15 minutes..

 

[cowgirl Ibara]

The way you said blowing up and forward is the quickest way for me to dry my calves. It only takes me about 10 minutes.

 

[farmwife]

I noticed the other 2 posters are from west and nw. I don't know about the weather up there, but I do know about the climate of the southwest -- around here it depends a lot on the weather. Of course it depends on the amount and type of hair. The longer the hair is the longer the drying time will be. Coarse hair will dry faster. The biggest factor I have found though is the humidity in the air. When it's humid (not just in the summer, but that's the worst time), I have had our Herefords completely dry to the touch on one side and switch to the other side. When I return to the first side the hair is dripping. Typically I'd say it takes about 30-45 minutes to dry one completely.

 

[Snider_Angus]

I have had our Herefords completely dry to the touch on one side and switch to the other side. When I return to the first side the hair is dripping.

I know all about where your coming from that happened just last night. Got all done with the left side moved around to the left finished there and went to untie and saw she was still DRIPPING!!!! :x

 

[ND Angus]

We are currently getting ready for the show season here and have 6 head that are getting washed every other day. We have found that the fastest way to dry a heifer is to start at the rear. Get the rear end and rear legs completely dry. Then we start on one side, moving forward, only about an inch or so at a time , reaching over the heifer as far as you can , and bringing the blower around to the belly , and back up again, moving forward only about an inch. Then when you start on the other side , reach over the heifer as far as you can and again go as far down the belly as you can. This seems to get them pretty dry , the only hard parts are just behind the sholder. Kind of hard to explain in words! Up here in North Dakota it's pretty cold out right now and we must have our cattle completely dry before turning them back out . it takes us about 20 minutes or so to get one dry to the touch, with 2 blowers.

 

[farmwife]

We have found that the fastest way to dry a heifer is to start at the rear. Get the rear end and rear legs completely dry. Then we start on one side, moving forward, only about an inch or so at a time ,

Almost my entire life I moved back to front, but I changed about 2 years ago and now I go front to back. I will agree that it probably takes a little longer, but front to rear sure works better for training the hair. I guess if drying time is the issue I could see going rear to front though.

 

[Avalon]

We always blow up and foreward. (At least when I'm watching) Time to dry has more to do with humidity in the air.

 

[Grand Chaser]

i always blow the hair up then go back over it at a 45*angle. blowing it up lets your hair pop and gets the water out faster. but it takes me about 20 min with the humidity down here to get one of my calves dry the other which has alot more hair about 30-45. it's the humidity that kills me.