How to Clean a Cow

Co-authored by Ryan Corrigan, LVT, VTS-EVN

Last Updated: October 15, 2020 References

Cows will obviously get a little dirty from time to time and may be in need of a good spraying. If you're ready to show off your cow at the county fair, you can scrub it down thoroughly with a brush, soap, and water. Dairy cows also need to be cleaned regularly to avoid contaminated milk. In that case, you may want an integrated spraying system to hose off the cows once a day or so. For the health of the cows' hooves, you should also provide a footbath the cows can use regularly.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Scrubbing a Cow

1
Secure the cow outside with a halter or rope tied to the collar. If possible, tie the cow to a fence or the side of a building and not a single post. That way, the cow can't walk in circles or get tangled in the rope.
- You can use a cow-washing chute instead, which holds the cow's head in place, leaving you room to wash its body.^{[1]
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- If your cow has never been washed before or has a poor disposition, try tying it with a shorter rope so it is less likely to get tangled.
2
Wait for a warm day. Cows tend to be in a bad mood after a cold bath. A warm day helps air dry the cow's fur afterward, and they'll be more willing to have a bath if it's warmer out.

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3
Brush out the loose hair and dirt with a grooming brush or comb. Starting with the back, brush the cow, focusing on particularly dirty areas. Apply enough pressure to pull the hair and dirt out. Follow the grain of the hair so you don't agitate the cow.^{[2]
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- Brush the whole cow, including the stomach and legs.
4
Use a cow blower to blow off excessive dirt and hair. While this step isn't strictly necessary, it will make the process go easier. A cow blower is just a hose that blows air. Run it over the cow, starting with the back and moving downward.^{[3]
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- You can find blowers at cow supply stores or online. They can cost anywhere from $150 USD to $500 USD.
5
Hose the cow down from top to bottom. With a water hose, thoroughly wet the cow, starting on the back and moving down the body. Spray the cow's neck. Lessen the pressure of the hose to spray around the head and ears, as they are sensitive.^{[4]
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- Spend extra time on the dirty areas, such as the rump and the legs.
6
Soap up the cow with cow shampoo using a bubble sprayer or brush. A bubble sprayer fits on the end of the hose. Add the shampoo, and use the spray to blow the soap on the cow. Rub the soap in with a scrub brush using a circular motion.^{[5]
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- Alternatively, pour the shampoo on the cow from the bottle in ropes, covering most of the cow's back in stripes of shampoo. With a scrub brush, work the soap in, and lather it up.^{[6]
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- You can find shampoos and body washes specifically made for cows and livestock at your vet's office, online, or in a livestock supply store.
7
Scrub the cow down thoroughly. Use a scrub brush to scrub out the dirt, starting with the back of the head. Move down the neck and back, and then get the stomach and legs.^{[7]
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Research source} Work the soap down as you go.^{[8]
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- When you're done scrubbing, brush straight down from top to bottom, creating rivets for the water to flow down when you rinse.
8
Rinse the cow with clean water from the hose. Spray the cow down, starting at the back of the head. Work down the neck and back, spraying all the soap from the top of the cow before moving downward.^{[9]
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- Hose off the belly and the legs, too. Run your hand down the cow to make sure the soap is out as you spray.
- Use a gentle spray on the face at the end. Hold the cow's head in place by grabbing the halter.
9
Squeegee the water out and dry the cow. Run the back side of a cow comb, which is a straight metal line, down the cow from top to bottom, wringing out some of the water. Use a clean scrub brush to comb the hair forward, then blow dry the hair in the same direction with the cow blower until dry.^{[10]
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- You can also spray the cow with an oil meant for conditioning. If you do, lightly comb it in before releasing the cow.
- Alternatively, let the cow air dry in the sun.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using a Sprinkler System to Clean Cows

1
Construct a pre-milking wash pen with sprinklers to clean multiple cows. With this option, install sprinklers all along the pen you hold the cows in before milking. Use concrete for the floor, so you don't constantly have a muddy area. Sprinklers should spray both up and down to thoroughly wash the cows.^{[11]
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- Ensure the sprinklers cover the whole pen so all the cows get washed. Run them in lines along the floor of the pen, leaving space in between for the cows to walk. Raise them off the floor by a foot so the cows don't walk on them.
2
Add a sprinkler system to a chute to spray individual cows. Set up your footbath in a chute system, so that cows must walk through the footbath and then the spray system. The system should have sprinklers that spray from all angles to clean the cow.^{[12]
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- The sprinkler system should be at least 5 feet (1.5 m) in length to thoroughly spray down the cow. Place sprinkler heads in the wall of the shoot.
- You can use PVC pipe with t-joints to construct the spray system. Run lengths of pipe along the walls, connected by t-joints. Insert a sprinkler head in each t-joint, facing the cow. Connect the end to a hose and cap off the other end. Add glue to all joints to hold them in place.^{[13]
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- To recycle water, drain it back to a tank to filter and pump back through the system.
3
Add a spray curtain to the edge of the shed to clean and cool cows daily. Construct a spray curtain with a pipe and garden sprinklers. Attach it to the top of the shed, creating a curtain of water between the platform and the yard.
- One way to create this system is to use short lengths of PVC pipe, about 1 foot (30 cm) each. Connect the pipes with t-joints and glue to make one long pipe. Insert sprinkler heads in each t-joint facing downward using screw threads, then connect the end of the pipe to a hose. Close off the end of the pipe with an end cap.
- The water cleans the cows as they move from the yard to the shed. In addition, it provides a cooling effect in hot weather and helps keep flies out of the shed.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using a Footbath

1
Choose between plastic and metal for your footbath. Plastic tubs are easier to remove and clean. However, they aren't as sturdy or long-lasting as metal footbaths, and the sound sometimes discourages cows from using them. On the other hand, some chemicals, such as copper sulfate, may react with the metal. Choose the best option for your needs.^{[14]
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- The footbath should be 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) deep for cleaning hooves.
- It's helpful to add a drain in your footbath, so you don't have to move it to drain it.
- For the most effective footbath, use a 2-bath system. The first one should contain plain water, while the second one should contain the solution you use.
2
Place the footbath in an area the cows must walk through. A footbath is only effective if the cows actually walk through it. Therefore, it should be an area that the cows are forced through at least several times a week or even every day.^{[15]
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- You don't need to actively wash your cows' feet. Rather, they just need to walk through the solution.
3
Add your chosen cleaning solution. Footbath solutions are different on each farm, but one common one is copper sulfate.^{[16]
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Research source} Other common ingredients include disinfectants like Formalin, copper sulfate, or organic acids. Some farms make their own footbathing cleaners, but you can buy pre-mixed formulas.^{[17]
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- Discuss the best type of cleaning solution with your vet, and then mix it according to the package's directions.
- Keep in mind that some solutions for cleaning cow hooves cannot be disposed of by pouring them down the drain. You'll need to dispose of them in a slurry system.^{[18]
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4
Clean out the footbath after each session. For the footbath to be most effective, it needs to be clean. When it starts to look murky, it's time to change it, but for it to be most effective, you should change the solution every time the cows use it.^{[19]
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- Drain the liquid out of the footbath. Scrub it down thoroughly with soap and water before refilling it.

Warnings

Be ready to get wet and dirty when washing a cow.

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Be careful, as the cow may kick, step, or get tangled in the rope. Also, stay out of the way of the wet tail.

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