PROGRESSIVE BEEF CATTLE RAISING 



PART XI 



Marketing Cattle 



Much of the profit that may have 

 Preparations for been acquired during the feeding 

 Shipping operation may be lost when the 



animals are sent to market. Faulty 

 shipping methods may cause such a great difference in 

 the loading weight of the steer at home and its selling 

 weight at the market that the feeder may actually make 

 or break on this margin. This "shrink" is caused by the 

 failure of the animal to eat and drink the normal amount, 

 and by scouring. Long hauls, rough handling, improper 

 feeding, extreme weather, exhaustion and numerous minor 

 factors affect the amount of shrink and nothing will 

 eliminate it entirely. It averages about 4.0 percent of 

 the animal's weight. Grass, silage and pulp-fed cattle 

 shrink more than grain fed, while such grades as canner 

 cows shrink more proportionately than finished stock. If 

 about two days before shipping a less washy ration is 

 substituted for the regular ration, the shrink may not 

 be so great, although if the change is too sudden the 

 animal may be upset. On the other hand, too dry a 

 ration works a severe detriment to the selling condition 

 of the cattle. To withhold water before shipping and to 

 feed salt is cruel and deceives no one except the shipper 

 himself. A normal fill is always accepted but both 

 packer buyers and feeder buyers can easily recognize 

 animals in abnormal condition. 



CA.-~~,V,, Tn e following suggestions issued by 



snipping the National Livestock Exchange 



Counsel should prove helpful . 



Always route your shipment through to destination 

 and designate each road handling it. 



Page Seventy-one 



