How to Clip a Show Calf

Clipping your calf before a show helps it appear properly proportioned and well-shaped. Handle and bathe your calf often to get it accustomed to your presence, since some animals may not initially accept grooming. Practice your clipping techniques long before the show to learn from your mistakes. About three weeks before the show, do a full-body clip to allow the hair to grow in. Touch up the head two days before the show.

Things You'll Need

  • Shampoo
  • Electric clipper
  • Blocking chute
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Instructions

    • 1

      Dampen your calf's hair and rub an animal-safe shampoo all over the calf, avoiding the eyes. Rinse the hair thoroughly and allow the animal to completely dry before clipping.

    • 2

      Put the calf in a blocking chute to hold it still. Ensure that the area is well-lit.

    • 3

      Place an electric clipper with a flat head on the calf's nose. Trim the hair along the nose and forehead, clipping close to the skin. Do the same to the jaw and cheek, blending the cut of the hair into the rest of the face. Trim the hair outside and inside the ears, but avoid hitting the metal ear tag, if your calf has one. If you clip the hair on the face a few weeks in advance, re-clip this area two days prior to the show.

    • 4

      Clip the hair on the neck about three weeks before the show. This allows for some re-growth, which makes the hair appear more natural. Blend the cuts together evenly from the neck to the shoulder, trimming down the shoulder at a 45-degree angle. Avoid clipping the top of the withers.

    • 5

      Clip the hair on the front legs from the foot to the first joint. Stay close to the calf while clipping the legs to discourage the animal from kicking.

    • 6

      Trim the loin and back area so that the hair lies flat on the top of the back. Avoid clipping the hair at the edge of the loin. Strive to clip in a manner that makes the calf appear more square. Leave the hair on the edges and do not excessively clip the rear quarters. This technique helps the calf appear to have a thicker rump and a square appearance.

    • 7

      Clip close to the skin on the rear legs. Trim these areas generously, but leave longer hair in places that appear to dip to give the calf a straight-legged appearance.

    • 8

      Trim the hair on the tail above the switch at the end of the tail. Clip so that the hair blends naturally into the rump.