198 



TJie Countiy Gentleuimi's Magazine 



TRANSIT OF CATTLE BY RAIL. 



FOR some time back this subject has 

 now and again turned up, and many- 

 able reports and suggestions have been made 

 with a view to lessen the sufferings conse- 

 quent on the transportation of the bovine 

 and ovine race by rail. There are numerous 

 different heads under which one could treat 

 the transit of all animals, both by road, rail, 

 and sea ; and, again, by subdividing those 

 different heads a very long paper on the sub- 

 ject could be produced. But as the object 

 at present is only to bring before the public a 

 plan of padding, as it may be called, for cattle 

 trucks, I will confine my remarks to the 



the way of padding at each end of the truck 

 would be of undeniable value for lessening 

 the injurious effects of those sudden shocks. 

 Many plans of padding have been recom- 

 mended, but one objection applied to most 

 of them, and that was, the difficulty of getting 

 them thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, thus 

 increasing the already great chance of healthy 

 stock catching disease while in transit from 

 one part of the country to another. 



You will observe, in the accompanying 

 longitudinal section of a cattle truck, the 

 ends are made, as it v,'ere, double ; c re- 

 presents the end of a cattle truck as it now 



Improved Cattle Truck. 



.truck, and therefore beg to accompany this 

 with a sketch of the proposed padding. 



Some years ago, a very able " report on the 

 transit of stock," by Mr Menzies, Trentham, 

 was awarded the premium of ;^io by the 

 Highland and Agricultural Society. In that re- 

 port the principal suggestions made for lessen- 

 ing the shaking and bruising of stock in trucks, 

 caused by the sudden stopping and starting 

 of a train, were — that spring buffers and screw 

 couplings, similar to those in use for passenger 

 cars, should be supplied to cattle trucks. 

 This would very materially lessen the con- 

 cussions consequent on the sudden stopping 

 and starting of a cattle train, but something in 



stands, and a represents a lining of wood 

 with strong back bars ; this lining rests on a 

 runner, d, at the bottom of the truck, and is 

 attached to the end of the truck by strong 

 spiral springs, b, which, in its usual position, 

 would keep the lining, say 6 inches, out from 

 the end proper of the truck ; but on the 

 cattle being forced against it, by a sudden 

 jerk either one way or other, it would yield, 

 just like a strong spring mattress. Now, the 

 advantage of this spring padding over that 

 usually adopted, is, that it can be thoroughly 

 cleaned and disinfected, two conditions very 

 desirable in all things connected with cattle 

 trucks. 



