All winter, my Scottish Highland and Belted Galloway cattle have grown magnificent, lanolin-rich coats — nature’s waterproofing so good it puts L.L. Bean to shame. Lanolin repels water and snow better than any slicker on the market. But these coats can’t be unzipped when the sunshine returns. That’s where the electric clippers come in.
Each spring, here at Miles Smith Farm in Loudon, we open the Cow Spa. By “cows,” I mean “cattle” of all genders. A cow is a female that’s had a calf, a heifer is a female that has not given birth and a bull is a breeding male. Most of us think of bovines as cows, so that’s what I’ll call them.
To get ready for spa day, I dust off the heavy-duty clippers and load them with sharp blades. Most of our cows are halter-trained, so we can catch them, tether them and start clipping. The moment clipping begins, each cow lowers its head, closes its eyes and drifts into a blissful, buzzy trance. Even the nervous cattle like the soothing vibration of the clippers on their skin. And after the session, they feel lighter and cooler, ready to bask in the sun. It’s truly a day spa. Just with hooves.
One time, when farm friend David Leach stopped clipping to replace dull blades, our riding steer, Curious Bleu, reached around and nudged David with a horn as if to say, “C’mon, bro, keep going.”
The clipped hair looks fluffy, but doesn’t have much value. Cattle hair keeps the cow warm, but unlike wool, it is difficult to weave and has minimal insulating value when woven. It’s like human hair. So, we leave it for birds to collect as they build nests.
Unfortunately, my allergies have removed me from barber duty. On clipping day, I’m in charge of bringing the cattle to the clipping station, replacing dull clipper blades and disposing of the clipped hair.
If you’d like to clip one of our hairy beasts, sign up at: https://soulecoaching.as.me/CowSpa, but don’t wait too long. All of my furry beasts will be clipped by mid-May.
Carole Soule is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm, where she coaches cows to be their best selves. You can reach her at carole@soulecoaching.com.