Ooh la la, look at these blow dried cows!
Lots of cows get the full-on spa experience before they get showed at local livestock shows and state fairs. Did you know that cow shows are a thing in the cattle industry? Well, technically they're steer shows since the majority of cows shown are male. But fluffy bulls doesn't sound as cute as fluffy cows, and the term "cow" has slowly become the colloquial name for all things moo.
So these are blow-dried cows, even though they're male.
In order to get high scores from judges, competitors from the 4-H Club and Future Farmers of America make sure their bovine looks their best before they lead them around the ring. Competitors shampoo, rinse, and blow dry their steers and cows (if it's a dairy show), and the result is pretty spectacular.
Take a look at these poof balls.
1. Where the social media hashtag #fluffycow got started.
https://twitter.com/LadyBArtist/status/602493794525806592
2. A Lautner Farm Fluff-Ball
3. Sometimes, they're called the Fluffy Milk Horse.
4. This is a special breed.
5. Young members of the 4-H club cheer on their teammate.
This #fluffycow sells at 5 today. Couldn't have asked for a better first 4H steer. #stockshowlife #manamongboys #ranchlife pic.twitter.com/vJvoy3MrFW
— Scott Eklund (@scott_eklund) July 1, 2017
6. This dairy cow has a beauty routine that can't be disrupted.
https://www.instagram.com/p/5bnwhagVdE/?hl=en
7. Did this guy go through the car wash?
8. This look took a long time to create.
9. This one took special clippers.
#fluffycow #betterhairthenmostpeople #blowdryextreme #kentcountyshow pic.twitter.com/EVTcxgf82u
— biatch97 (@lizziepinkney42) July 13, 2016
10. This one needed special oils and took a long time blow drying.
11. Look at this fluffable softness!
My daughters mono $ X speckle park. Love this calf! @TheCliffsFarm @mattlautner @MrDucherer #fluffycow #showsteer pic.twitter.com/CLJbgSeyJF
— Bryce Morland (@BryceMorland1) May 10, 2015
12. In all his fluffy-coated glory.
While, yes, these guys are being shown to be sold into the beef industry, it's still admirable that contestants in the shows spend such time primping their bovines.
Blow-dried cows are adorable to look at and soft to touch, but don't be naïve about it!
What do you think about blow dried cows? Tell us on the Wide Open Pets Facebook page!