How to Groom a Calf for a Fair

Grooming a calf to show in a fair is a part of a youth tradition of raising juvenile livestock and showing their results. A young calf is a large responsibility and successfully showing your animal means acclimating the animal to grooming routines, walking by being led, and maintaining optimum health for the calf. The final task of raising the calf is presenting it to the fair judges and showing all the results of your hard work. Grooming them for the event is a must.

Things You'll Need

  • Nylon halter
  • Rope
  • Scotch comb
  • Rice root brush
  • Livestock soap
  • Bucket
  • Rags or sponge
  • Rubber curry brush
  • Blow dryer (optional)
  • Clippers (optional)
  • Show halter
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Instructions

    • 1

      Begin combing your calf early and often to acclimate them to the attention and tools. Go slowly at first, just doing regular combing with gentle strokes, then add in brushing their coat. Eventually work up to washing them and, finally, using a blow dryer or clippers. The calf must be familiar with all of these tools long before show time so they don't make the animal nervous.

    • 2

      Place the nylon halter on your calf for washing. Rope will swell and cause the animal discomfort. Tie the animal close to the halter so it doesn't have much room to move around and injure you or itself if it becomes spooked.

    • 3

      Fill a bucket with water and add the recommended amount of livestock soap for your size calf to the bucket. Do not put the soap directly on the animal. Work the water and soap into a lather.

    • 4

      Comb the dirt and mud from the calf with the scotch comb and rice root brush before wetting the calf.

    • 5

      Turn the hose on medium pressure and use your finger or the hose nozzle to form a gentle spray. Wet the calf starting at the legs down by the feet. Wet the legs all around, then move to the underline, then up to the back and towards the front of the calf. Do the neck and head last, carefully wetting the ears by hand so no water gets in them.

    • 6

      Rub the calf down with the soapy sponge or rag. Use the rubber curry brush to gently scrub the calf's coat with the soapy water. Do the head area carefully again, making sure not to get the inside of the ears wet.

    • 7

      Rinse the soap from the calf starting at the head and working down until every part is carefully rinsed so the undercoat retains no soap residue.

    • 8

      Empty and rinse the bucket, and add clean clear water. Add one cap full, or the recommended amount, of fly repellent or livestock dip to the water. Carefully pour the bucket over the calf's topline from shoulders to back end, avoiding the head.

    • 9

      Comb the calf dry using the scotch comb first then the rice root brush. Work with the calf's hair growth pattern to present the best looking coat possible. Some prefer to acclimate the calf to blow drying. This is a good method if only used when necessary for showing the calf. The clippers can be used if the animal does not spook at them, and the user has experience in clipping the coat to show it to its best advantage.

    • 10

      Dress the calf in its show halter and best rope at the time of judging. Give the calf a final comb through with the scotch comb and rice root brush and show off your calf.