# Shaving Udders



## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

What do you use to get your udders show ready? I have heard several different ways, but what do you use? What size blade do you use if you shave them with clippers?

Trying to find out what works best. onder:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I use a #40 blade

ifyou want an even closer shave you can use a #50 blade

both the 40 and 50 are surgical blades so they get real close


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## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

Hey Stacey (and KW Farms & other breeders out there too! :greengrin: ), I'm interested to know what other show people use OVERALL for shaving... body, legs, udders, the works...

Talked to a few other local breeders/show people last year and was amazed at the variety of blades used to clip just a single animal! Was also amazed at the detailed timeline...such as 'Clip body X days before show, clip legs X days before show, clip udder x days before show, re-touch udder x hours before ringtime, etc...'


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I have an Oster A5 clipper with the 10 blade for body clipping. The 3 blade works good for legs, but i've used 10 on the legs and it works fine too. 

I usually clip the entire body a week or two before the show. Udder 1-2 days before or that same show day. I am ordering the 50 blade from Jeffers to see if I like that better for udder clipping.

I usually don't have an exact time/day before showing to get the goat ready, it kind of varies between goats. Some have markings/colors that work better for clipping just a few days before showing as where some I need to clip a couple weeks before the show. Udders usually get clipped at the same time though.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

StaceyRoop said:


> I use a #40 blade
> 
> ifyou want an even closer shave you can use a #50 blade
> 
> both the 40 and 50 are surgical blades so they get real close


Awesome! I think i'm going to get the 50 blade and see how I like it.


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## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

Oh, I also found the surgical blades at Sally's Beauty Supply... that way I didn't have to pay for shipping, and w/a coupon it wasn't that much $$ either. Just FYI.... :wink: 
Ebay was another good option too...but I just LOVE ebay...so maybe its me. :greengrin:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

for the body I use my big horse clippers which have the 84 and 85 AU blades, they are equivalent to the #10 blade which is what I use for the face and legs only because the big clipper is hard to get in those small spots.

I shave everything a week or less before the show and then I touch up the udder either the night before or at the show


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## Coyote Night Acres (Dec 27, 2010)

We usually conditioned rabbits starting a month before the show to get them in bloom, so was wondering if you condition goats before a show also? What kind of feeding schedule do you do to get them ready for show day or is it conditioning through exercise like sheep?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

dairy goats you dont want to overfeed, they wont do well in the show. They need to be lean and "dairy-like" 

I dont do much for my goats before show besides what I normally do -- I want them in good shape through out the year and then when show time comes its no biggy about how they look (besides shaving). I feed and care for them like any day could be show day.


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## black-smith (Jan 20, 2011)

I use a #5 blade to body clip within a week of the show (my does are black and they look VERY bald if their hair is too short)

Or a #10 two weeks before the show, to give it a chance to grow in a bit, makes them look sleek and shiney!

Usually a #40 blade for the udder, and then re-clip it the day before the show


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## comingsummers (May 6, 2010)

How long should the hair actually be? I see all these blade numbers, but what do those numbers translate into as far as actual length? Thanks?


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## black-smith (Jan 20, 2011)

The higher the blade number, the shorter the hair will be. A 40 or 50 blade will be nearly bald, which is great for udders.

It really depnds on the breed,
I have Nubians, and they are mostly dark red in color. I like the hair to be about a quarter inch long on show day (#10 blade 1 week before show)

If you have black or white does, I find it's best to clip with a 5 blade and that will leave the hair about a half inch long.

It's all personal preference, try a #5 and see how you like it, if you think it should be a bit shorter, go over it with a 10!


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## comingsummers (May 6, 2010)

Cool! Thanks for the info! I don't get to shave for at least a month or two still, it's way too cold for them. But I'm looking fowrard to seeing whats under all that fuzz!


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

color of the goat is a factor as well. A white goat or a black goat you need to clip sooner then a brown goat. My chammy girls get clipped a couple of days before the show. Black goats a week before. below knees and hocks a 10, the rest of the body is a 7 udder is a 40, and then i shave them the morning of with a hand razor. Kind of like you would shave your legs.


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## SugarBush Farms (Apr 19, 2012)

I use a 10 blade on the body, head and legs around 2 weeks before show. Then I use a 50 blade(surgical blade) on the udder of milking does. On dry does and kids I shave the udder area with ether a 10 or a 15 blade. I also have the pain of attempting to blend the wattles on my LaManchas(luckily we don't have to shave the wattles themselves, just blend the base into the neck)


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

I razar the udder, clip the body with a 15 and legs and head with a 30


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