FITTING SHOW STEERS 119 



laundry soap, or washing powders. Some recommend 

 giving the animals a daily wetting with soft water and 

 a spray pump. The one great thing that is liable to 

 play havoc with a coat of hair is founder, and especially 

 grain founder. It cannot be detected until after the 

 harm is done and naked spots appear all over the animal. 

 Cattle just going onto full feed are especially liable to 

 this. 



In fitting the horns, thoroughly remove the dead 

 outer coat or covering. First use a sharp, heavy rasp, 

 and finish up with a jackknife and finally with emery 

 paper. Cover the horns with sweet-oil, and allow a few 

 hours to dry in, then smear them with paste made of 

 sweet-oil and tripoli. Polish thoroughly with a wide 

 strap or woolen bandage, and repolish with a strip of 

 chamois skin and any good polishing powder. The 

 strap should be wound once around the horn and the 

 powder dusted under it, and friction enough obtained 

 to melt the surface of the horn. 



Attention should be given to the hoofs. Where a 

 steer is kept in a deeply bedded stall, the hoof is not 

 subjected to friction and grows out long and unshapely, 

 and as there is no moisture present the walls become dry 

 and contract and the feet become feverish. The former 

 defect can be remedied by trimming the hoofs back at 

 frequent intervals, and the latter by making a clay 

 puddle through which the animal should be led several 

 times each day. 



With a considerable number of cattle to ship, a large 

 furniture or vehicle car will be found best suited to the 

 exhibitor's needs; with a smaller number to ship, an 

 ordinary box-car with small doors in the end will be 

 found very satisfactory. The sides of the car may be 

 padded with burlap to prevent bruising. In loading 

 the cattle they should always be tied to the side of the 

 car and shipped "side to." It is not desirable to have 

 them ride "end to" as they will be thrown forward 



