This is a subscriber-only article
With cattle now settled in the shed for the winter housing period, it is good practice to clip hair along the back, neck, head and tails.
Clipping will help cattle to regulate body temperature indoors, reducing sweat and helping to keep animals cleaner. It can also reduce problems with lice.
For cows, clipping tails improves hygiene around the udder, reducing the risk of mastitis in animals that are now being dried off inside.
Clipping method
Before clipping cattle, make sure animals are securely restrained in a head-locking gate to prevent accidents occurring.
Start by clipping the tail, working upwards against the grain of hair. Next, clip a band around six inches wide on both sides of the animal’s spine from the tail head to the neck.
If it is safe to do so, clip around the neck and head to remove excessive hair. If there is any risk of injury to either the animal or operator, then avoid clipping around the head of cattle.
SHARING OPTIONS: