BUYING AND SELLING DAIRY CATTLE 181 



so that they will be receiving the same feeds that are to be fed 

 while at the fair. 



301. Blanketing and clipping.— " Each animal should be 

 stabled and blanketed several weeks before the date for showing. 

 The animals may be clipped or the long hair may be worked out 

 by brushing the body with coarse sand paper tacked to a block 

 for convenience in handling. 



"The purposes of blanketing are to: 



(1) Keep the animal clean; 



(2) Sweat the hide and better its handling qualities; 



(3) Help shed old hair and make the rest lay to the body. 

 "To aid in putting the skin and hair in condition, wash a few 



times with green or castile soap and water. Rub the hide well with 

 a mixture of equal parts of sweet oil, soap liniment and alcohol. A 

 mixture of goose grease and sweet oil is also very good. These mix- 

 tures not only improve the quality of skin, but add a gloss to the 

 hair and give the body a very clean appearance. The mixtures 

 mentioned should not be applied to white hair on an animal later 

 than four or five days before showing because of coloration. For 

 grooming, a soft brush is advisable. Avoid the use of a curry 

 comb except for the purpose of removing dirt that clings tightly. 



302. Horns and hoofs. — "The horns must receive attention. 

 Scrape down the rough portions by the use of a file. The edge of 

 a broken piece of glass is sometimes used after filing. Be careful 

 not to make the skin sore at the base of the horns. When the horns 

 have been worked down nicely, rub them with emery cloth to put 

 on a smooth surface. For polishing, fix up a paste using sweet oil, 

 powdered pumice stone or tripoli and add a little alcohol. Apply 

 this paste mixture to the horn and rub with a woolen cloth. If 

 the horns have been put in good condition before leaving home, 

 polishing will be all that is necessary at the fair. The hoofs may be 

 trimmed by use of pinchers followed by a rasp. 



"It is necessary to do some clipping just previous to showing. 

 This will include the tail above the switch and usually the ears 

 and portions of the head or face and the belly. In the case of 

 females, the udder should be clipped. 



