What's in My Showbox? Mike Harbour's Sheep and Goat Prep Picks

Mike Harbour, Pro-Staffer with Weaver Livestock, shares his top must-have sheep and goat products he always keeps in his showbox.

Hair Care

ProCharge and ProPolish

"ProCharge and ProPolish are our favorite go-tos when it comes to managing hair," says Harbour. ProCharge is a conditioning formula packed with essential nutrients to replenish, nourish, and restore the hair coat. It helps prevent dryness and flaking for healthier skin and hair. ProPolish is a lightweight hair polish that adds a sleek, high-gloss finish while repelling dust and dirt. It's non-sticky and perfect for both daily use and final show ring prep. "In our daily hair care routine for goats, we mix 1 part ProCharge to 3 parts ProPolish. We also spray it on our goats and sheep right before they go in the ring, it gives them a great feel and a polished look," Harbour explains.

Degreasing Shampoo

"Weaver Degreasing Shampoo is an excellent choice for when we're washing our sheep, especially after long periods between baths," says Harbour. "Sheep produce a natural waxy, oily substance called lanolin. This product cuts through the lanolin, as well as grease, dirt, and residual show day products, leaving the hair and wool clean and residue-free. With no leftover film, shearing and fitting become easier and more effective." While ideal for sheep, Weaver Degreasing Shampoo is also a great option for all types of livestock, whether for daily care or show day prep.

Conditioning Cream

Conditioning Cream is a thick, luxurious conditioning cream that softens and moisturizes the hide, hair and wool. "It's an essential product for our sheep and goats, especially before shearing. It helps the blades glide through the wool and hair smoothly, which really speeds up the process," says Harbour. He adds that it is a key part of their daily hair care routine, particularly on leg wool, "we use it a lot for conditioning leg wool. It doesn't yellow the wool, instead it deeply nourishes and leaves a healthy shine." Perfect for all types of livestock, Conditioning Cream delivers a fresh, healthy look and show ring ready shine.

Coconut Shampoo

"Our go-to when washing goats is the Coconut Shampoo. It's a conditioning shampoo with coconut oil that promotes healthy skin and hair," says Harbour. It gently hydrates the hide for a smooth, glossy, vibrant appearance. While ideal for goats, Coconut Shampoo is also versatile for other livestock. "We also use it on our sheep if they're already clean. It's great for daily hair care for our barn and show days," adds Harbour.

ProHair

"With today's industry being all about how big of hair can we grow, we use ProHair a lot," says Harbour. ProHair 100 promotes healthy hair and leg wool growth by encouraging new hair development and revitalizing existing hair. It's a go-to product in daily care routines for sheep, goats, and other livestock. "With our sheep, we spray it on clean legs, brush it in, and work it into the skin to stimulate the hair follicles and promote growth. We let it sit for a bit, then blow it dry and rewrap the legs before putting them back in the pen," Harbour explains. "With goats, we just leave it in, since we don't wrap their legs. You can put them up with the ProHair still in their damp hair, and it works great."

Waterless Shampoo

"It doesn't hurt to always take a bottle of Waterless Shampoo," Harbour says. "We usually hit the wash rack ahead of time, but in adverse conditions, you may need Waterless Shampoo to clean up your livestock right before going into the show ring." Waterless shampoo quickly and effectively removes dirt, grass, and manure stains, without the use of water, making it a convenient backup for any show day situation.

Nutrition

Keep'n On

"Keep'n On is probably one of my favorite hydrants, next to just plain water," says Harbour. Keep'n On delivers 12 vitamins, 9 minerals, and essential electrolytes to support muscle "pop", energy, and stamina in show animals. It's designed to maximize performance in the ring. "All you need to do is fill the bottle with water, shake it up, and I suggest letting it sit for a few hours so all the crystals in it dissolve. Then drench it, it's super effective that way," Harbour explains. For sheep and goats, the recommended dose is ½ a bottle two hours before show time and ½ a bottle 15 minutes before show time. Keep'n On is also effective for other species of livestock, making it a versatile addition to any show day routine.

3 Hrs Out Paste

"3 Hrs Out is one of my favorite show day prep products," says Harbour. "It's great for shaping the top and expressing muscle definition, it really gives you that extra edge in the show ring. And the name says it all, give it 3 hours before you expect to show." 3 Hrs Out contains electrolytes and several innovative ingredients to help all species of livestock metabolize energy efficiently, resulting in a refreshed, expressive look that stands out to judges.

Gut Candy

"Gut Candy is a probiotic paste that helps keep livestock well-maintained, eating and feeling good," says Harbour. This reliable product gives exhibitors a show ring advantage by allowing them to push harder, hold them better, and get livestock dialed in at just the right time. Gut Candy conditions the digestive tract while delivering critical bacteria, enzymes, and microflora to support optimal digestion and gut health. "Gut Candy has been around for a while, and it's a product we trust," Harbour adds.

Clipping

Pulse ZR ll Clippers

"We take clippers with us depending on show rules and what we're allowed to use," says Harbour. "The Pulse ZR ll is my clipper of choice." The Pulse ZR ll is a cordless clipper featuring a detachable blade and five speed settings. It delivers up to three hours of runtime on a single charge and includes a removable battery for quick and easy swapping. "We always bring extra batteries as well in case ours die. If you've been keeping up with your daily hair care routine, these clippers will cut through hair effortlessly. The ZR is just as fast as a regular standard pair of clippers, like the Star Clipper. But if you're trying to run through more heads quickly, you can always opt for the standard clippers."

Various Clipper Blades

"For goats, we've started to shear our wethers with the 5FW Blade, which leaves the hair about 6.5 mm long, a little longer than Covercote Blade or Xtracover Blades, which leave it at about 5mm," says Harbour. "The trend nowadays is to leave a little bit more hair on them." Depending on your desired finish, Harbour recommends "going in with a 5F Blade or a 4F Blade, leaving 9mm of hair, is great for adding a little extra length and body."

For sheep, Harbour relies on a variety of blades. "On the standard pair of clippers, we use Fine and Surgical Blades for full-body shearing. We always keep Medium Blending Blades in the box as well, they're great for managing leg wool and getting sheep ring-ready." He emphasizes "the medium blending blade is a lot more forgiving than something like a Super Blocking Blade or Blue Ribbon Blade, which cut tip-to-tip. The bevel on a medium blend helps avoid gapping if a lamb kicks or moves during clipping. We also shear sheep heads with medium blends, they leave a little more fiber on the face, which is ideal for black-faced breeds. For off-breeds like Southdowns, Dorpers, or Finewools down in Texas, medium blending blades leave just the right amount of length to meet classifier standards." Haubor adds that "Andis makes some great blades. The 7F Blade, for example, is tighter than the 4F or 5F, and it's great for getting in a little closer between the front legs and on the chest floor, if you want a cleaner, tighter look."