[Nootka]

http://ocala.craigslist.org/grd/3353012342.html

What breed do you use to get such perfectly fuzzy cows/bulls? I am aware they must clip them to get them that perfect but they look like cowdooles (cow poodles).

[Bluey]

Looks like they were clipped and blow dried.
Show stables do that.
Some groom for the public at shows and state fairs also, as that one ad seems to offer.

[SuckerForHorses]

um, if you clipped them, they would NOT be that fuzzy. And the tan one that is in the last picture if photoshopped. Look by the top of his tail. The legs also do not have that much hair.

Those breeds (angus and hereford) are not that fuzzy, even when bathed adn blow dried.

[The Crone of Cottonmouth County]

I just saw a show on RFD-TV -- well, basically it was an infomercial for show cattle grooming products -- where some guy was giving a clinic on how to spiff up your cow. They clip and curry and hairspray the heck out of those animals. But I think they're just regular old Angus and Hereford breeds.

[Nootka]

I was refering to them being perfectly shaped .. i guess trim was a better word.

I was wondering if photoshop was involved at all in these pics

[sk_pacer]

That Hereford is nothing to write home about - back isn't level like it should be. I've never seen legs like that on ANY common breed of beef cattle

[bits619]

OK, I would really like to snuggle one of those cows! So cuddley looking!

[Appsolute]

Heheheh they sure are cute.

My cousins always did the 4H thing and raised cattle that they showed at the fair. Pre – fair grooming was a big to do. Yes, blow dryers, and hair sprays (some colored) were involved – the “poof” up the hair in desirable areas etc – to show the cow to its best.

Now, that was in the summer, when the coat was short and slick except for certain areas of the chest etc.

I noticed that ALL of these photos show snow on the ground – winter pictures, when the animals would be in full coats. Wash – blow dry to full fluffyness – then just so carefully clip to create smooth lines – just like a show poodle. I think that is why it looks “photo shopped”, they have been clipped (not like you clip a horse, like you clip a poodle) to create artificially smooth lines.

[Tamara in TN]

the CL poster offers show fitting as a service.what you see as "fuzzy" are well turned out show cattle whose hair is blow dried backward and frozen in place with an industrial freeze spray...a good fitter can fill in places that are lacking,make legs look straighter,deepen the frame,all sorts of things.
tamara

[Nootka]

^^^^ I thought the first one was fake LOL

I know nothing about cow conformation. What is the standard for good conformation? Do you have a pic?

[Tamara in TN]

every breed is different...

the basics for beef breeds are bodies that are deep and not excessively long,long deep hips,good bone,feminine heads for cows,masculine expressions for bulls,heavy low legs and so on...

tamara

[JennyM]

A lot of them are kept in air conditioned barns to get them to grow their hair out and then blow dried and groomed to look like that.

[SmartAlex]

Yup, all you got to do is carve the perfectly shaped cow out of the fuzz pile.

I remember they used to tease and rat the tails into perfect spheres.

[ReSomething]

They're so . . so . . POOFY. Snort has that long Cushing's coat and it wouldn't be too hard to get his body to look like that, so soft and plush (but then I guess if you are using Frozen Stiff it ain't too plush), but the legs!

We used to look at the dairy cows at the fair and see the kids primping and fussing but I guess there are Pro stylists out there too!

[cutter99]

Tamara is 100% correct. Plus, the really serious "fitters" will hose cattle down with cold water to encourage more hair growth. All that hair and the right grooming equipment will hide a multitude of sins!!!

[Nootka]

A lot of them are kept in air conditioned barns to get them to grow their hair out and then blow dried and groomed to look like that.

That is freaking INSANE! I need an air conditioned arena and barn for the summer here in FL

[Hippolyta]

Yep, lots of blow drying against the lay of the hair, puff/pull up coat with hair spray/gel along the back/rear & haunches, tease end of tail into a ball (but I haven't seen that lately). Also we would do a Hershey's kiss shape on the poll.

Cattle fitting is fun! With the beef cattle, the goal is to make them look as blocky as possible.

This summer I was watching showmanship, and now that I have a dark horse, I was miffed at how black the cattle stay all summer, even though they are outside. Why can't my horse be the same non-fading color...boo.

Yes, some do augment cattle colors, but these were locals & mostly they stay nice and black out in the field.

[cowboymom]

A friend of our family is one of those fitters, mostly bulls. I don't think he does any of the tricks to encourage a winter coat though, Montana winter does a perfectly good job of that. I thought the winter coat growth was from the hours of light, not temperatures, anyway.

[Tamara in TN]

a story goes in the purebred cattle world that in the 1980's the Japanese were spending the cash buying registered stock and came to <insert big big big breeder's> farm...

he showed them over the course of the morning several bulls in the fields, broke for lunch and promised the the "nice" bulls' viewing after lunch.

so they went to the "show barn" and in the padded seats and in the fragrant bed of shavings.... the epitome of bovine masculine perfection came forth...

oooohs were ooohed
ahhhhhs were ahhhed
EPD's were poured over
heads were bent in study and then
smiles burst forth like the sunlight
and a big ole hog leg of a check was written

a friend of <insert big name breeders name> said "good god where were you hiding him??"

says big breeder...."I decided which one they should have when they saw him in the field this morning...I gave the men "the sign" and they cleaned him up while we were eating lunch...it's all about the fitting son,it's all about the fitting...." :>

thus endeth the tale

Tamara in TN

[Tamara in TN]

it is both the air conditioned barns are also mostly pitch black