Timing on clipping for show

[dosthouhavemilk]

Well, it is getting close to Fair time again here.
Our county fair is the first full week in September and so the dairy cattle will be shown on Friday the 9th.
Used to be you just clipped their ears, their poles, and trimmed their tails..now we are expected to do a full body clip.

Only two had full body clips last year and those were done while at the fair.
So what is the best timing when clipping Jersey heifers and one 2 year old Jersey cow? A week before the show? Earlier?

Thanks.

[JeffNY]

Well now as a somewhat experienced clipper, and show person . What I did, and what I am going to do for the fair here August 22nd-28th. I am clipping all of them 7-10 days before the actual show. For example, I am clipping the ones that have been clipped recently (for another show), the friday before fair week, the show is on thursday during fair week, basically 6 days away. The ones that have not be trimmed as much, will be clipped 7-8 days prior. The ones that have hair that isn't long, decent length will be clipped 10 days prior. I am clipping our Jersey Saturday before the fair, show is Friday of the fair. Her entire body was clipped in June, hair has completely grown back. Now I have nice hair to work with. The Brown Swiss, same day. The reason why I do this, is work load and the clip job looks natural. I leave 2" on either side of the topline for later standing, then I go against the hair, straight towards her head, from her arse. It leaves a nice straight line to work with for standing, and then finishing her off. But I would clip a week prior atleast, so the hair grows a little. Funny thing, I've noticed Jerseys hair doesn't show any sort of line (natural clipper lines from the actual blades), same with the swiss. Holsteins black doesn't show, but the white does if it has a little hint of dirt. Either way, goodluck. Also, i've noticed a lot of people are going crazy with showing this year.


Jeff

[dosthouhavemilk]

I started showing again two years ago. We hadn't shown anything for 8 years prior to that but dad used to have more than one string of animals.

The whole body clip feels kinda like cheating to me, but that is just how I am.

Thanks for the advice on timing.

[milkstoolcowboy]

Jeff's is right on: clipping their full-body should be done about 60 days before the show. We finish clip 3-4 days before the show. I think if you clip them all over now they won't show to their best advantage.

Clip the cow's udder so that her milk veins stand out and are accentuated.

[willow_girl]

Now I am getting bit by the bug. I wonder how Teeny would feel about being a show cow? She certainly loves attention!