Do people clip the backs of cattle which are partly housed, that is fed outside on an open yard

[rich58]

Do people clip the backs of cattle which are partly housed, fed outside on an open yard?

 

[Bullring]

Yes I do my weaned suckler calves, stops them sweating and helps weight gain. They run in an open yard to feed in troughs but are fed silage in shed along feed barrier.

 

[davidroberts30]

Would you like to be missing a strip of a few layers of clothing up your spine when your out walking about the yard?

 

[Bullring]

Would you like to be missing a strip of a few layers of clothing up your spine when your out walking about the yard?

No but at the same time I wouldn't like to eat silage and cake either. The hair soon grows back and you can see with fat cattle the difference it makes, the hair where it isn't clipped will be wet on warm winter days like we have been having whereas the clipped area will be bone dry.

 

[MJT]

Our store cattle run in and out all winter ,always shave their backs, not nice seeing them all sweated up on their backs and it just hanging there .

 

[mo!]

Yes.

 

[davidroberts30]

No but at the same time I wouldn't like to eat silage and cake either. The hair soon grows back and you can see with fat cattle the difference it makes, the hair where it isn't clipped will be wet on warm winter days like we have been having whereas the clipped area will be bone dry.

Perhaps my yard and cubicle shed is more open than yours

 

[Whitepeak]

A lot of work/On farm testimonials from the US and Canada to suggest regularly clipping replacement dairy heifers results in higher growth rates. Even when temps drop into the minus 20's! Keeping cattle cool results in higher feed intakes and thus growth rates, keeping them warm and sweaty reduces intakes and growth rates plus has been linked to increased pneumonia incidence. Unfortunately I don't think there is any peer reviewed research on the subject though.

 

[Bootneck]

I have never clipped cattle backs but sounds like I should. What do you do? A couple of stripes the full length of the back? Could I use my shearing machine (longhorn 3.2, runs off battery) , normal handpiece, just put on a cattle comb?

 

[Gulli]

Clip everything on straw yards, most of which have outside feed areas. Keeps them cleaner I find as they actually dry out instead of being sweaty and wet

 

[Forever Fendt]

I have never clipped cattle backs but sounds like I should. What do you do? A couple of stripes the full length of the back? Could I use my shearing machine (longhorn 3.2, runs off battery) , normal handpiece, just put on a cattle comb?

I use my heinieger 12v sheep clippers with sheep blades do a band about 8' wide straight down the middle and tidy tail up if long or dirty,Never been a problem with the sheep blades

 

[borntohunt]

does anyone clip out cows or in calf heifers

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I have never clipped cattle backs but sounds like I should. What do you do? A couple of stripes the full length of the back? Could I use my shearing machine (longhorn 3.2, runs off battery) , normal handpiece, just put on a cattle comb?

Full back, top of tail and the bottom of tail

 

[M-J-G]

Would you like to be missing a strip of a few layers of clothing up your spine when your out walking about the yard?

No, but I wouldn't stand in a shed sweating in the middle of winter, nor would I want to spend a winter in a shed with my back exposed.

I'm not being smart, we are just a totally different beast.

 

[davidroberts30]

No, but I wouldn't stand in a shed sweating in the middle of winter, nor would I want to spend a winter in a shed with my back exposed.

I'm not being smart, we are just a totally different beast.

There was a few of mine wet on their backs here before the weather cooled down and i asked a few biggish cattle guys local and they all said pretty much not to bother on a open yard

 

[M-J-G]

There was a few of mine wet on their backs here before the weather cooled down and i asked a few biggish cattle guys local and they all said pretty much not to bother on a open yard

Possibly so.

I'm convinced that cattle will suffer more from the heat than they will from the cold.

If they get wet whilst outside feeding, they would dry off quicker if clipped rather than standing around in the shed with a damp coat, maybe.

 

[davidroberts30]

Possibly so.

I'm convinced that cattle will suffer more from the heat than they will from the cold.

If they get wet whilst outside feeding, they would dry off quicker if clipped rather than standing around in the shed with a damp coat, maybe.

We do get quite windy down here on the west wales coast.
I do have a few holes im the sides of the cubicle shed here but am reluctant to fill or sort them as we very rearly get breathing issues

 

[wellingtonfarmer]

Full back, top of tail and the bottom of tail

What do you use to cut the bottom of the tales? My clippers that I use for the back would be blunt after a couple of tails?

 

[wellingtonfarmer]

We do get quite windy down here on the west wales coast.
I do have a few holes im the sides of the cubicle shed here but am reluctant to fill or sort them as we very rearly get breathing issues

Clipping backs might help your breathing problems?

 

[davidroberts30]

Clipping backs might help your breathing problems?

I dont hardly get any
1 case every 2 to 3 years