The cattle competitions are a showcase for breeders and an opportunity to highlight the quality of their breeding. A rigorous preparation is therefore essential to present the animals in their best light and maximize their chances of impressing the judges. Terwagne, specialist in breeding equipment for clipping and maintaining cattle’s coat, gives you its advice to prepare your animals for a competition.
Why is it important to properly prepare your cattle for a competition?
Cattle competitions are real events where every detail counts: the animal's appearance, the cleanliness of its coat, its poise... Good preparation allows for presenting the cattle at their best, but can also make all the difference in the eyes of the jury.
External presentation also reflects the quality of the breeding as a whole. A well-prepared bovine shows the daily care the breeder provides. This is also apparent in the general demeanor of the animal: it is more at ease, more docile, more confident.
Good preparation significantly increases the chances of obtaining a positive assessment, and, perhaps, winning a prize.
The essential steps for preparing cattle for a competition
To ensure that the animal is highlighted and evaluated optimally by the judges, it is important to follow a few key steps. Clipping, cleaning, brushing, and polishing: each care step is important to achieve a clean and well-groomed presentation of your bovine.
Clipping and coat maintenance
Clipping helps to highlight the animal's morphology by accentuating its musculature and correcting potential backline flaws. Commonly clipped areas include the back, flanks, udders, and sometimes the tail, to create a harmonious silhouette.
It is important to choose a clipper suitable for cattle, equipped with specific combs and blades. Cordless models, which are quiet and lightweight, are particularly recommended to reduce the animal's stress during clipping. Also, remember to lubricate the combs regularly, about every 15 minutes, to prevent overheating and ensure a clean cut.
It is also advisable to pay special attention to the legs and ears, cleaning them carefully to prevent dirt accumulation.
Finally, don't forget to disinfect the combs after each use to prevent the transmission of skin diseases.
Cleaning and brushing
Once clipping is done, proceed to cleaning and brushing to achieve a clean, healthy, and shiny coat.
The paste soap from the Orvus brand is part of the preparation equipment for cattle competitions that is widely praised by breeders. Very gentle and effective, it allows for deep cleaning without irritating the cattle's skin. It removes dirt, residues, and impurities while bringing a nice shine to the coat.
After washing, brushing is equally important. It not only helps to remove dead hair and any remaining dust, but also to smooth the coat for a flawless look. Grooming brushes with their soft bristles and ergonomic handles offer a comfortable grip and ensure effective brushing, without stress for the animal.
Polishing and enhancement
The last step in the preparation: polishing. This step allows for refining the appearance of the bovine to give it a neat, clean, and elegant look.
In a cattle competition, the product often used is white wax to straighten the hair in specific areas, such as the thighs or back, but also to give them a nice shine. The wax thus contributes to Enhance the animal's silhouette and create a volume effect, thereby reinforcing the impression of musculature.
This finishing work requires some technique, but it can really make a difference with the judges during preparation.
More information on our products for preparing cattle for competitions?
Terwagne has all the necessary equipment to prepare your cattle for competitions. Find all the products on our e-commerce. And to learn more, you can contact us by phone or via the online form.
