IQQ LIVE STOCK MANAGEMENT. 



is available. To simply half bed a car, in many cases, is like 

 cutting the price of the cattle, because they become dirty and 

 much of their finish and quality is apparently lost. 



There is nothing better than good sweet hay for cattle 

 before loading or in transit. Some shippers advise feeding 

 a small quantity of grain, but as a rule grain, especially corn, 

 has a tendency to fever the animals and cause them to drink 

 too much water. Thus, all things considered, the less grain 

 that is fed just previous to and during shipment the better. 

 When the cattle are ready for shipment, they should be 

 driven over the scales and the weights recorded. They then 

 should be driven very carefully to the stock yards or station 

 where they are to be shipped. If the weather is warm, they 

 should be driven in the morning while it is cool. Quietness 

 and gentleness should be in evidence in putting cattle on 

 and off the cars. All hurry or violence should be dispensed 

 with, as such usually causes heavy losses in weight. 



As a rule about twenty good sized steers will fill a car; 

 however, one should not rely on any given number, but 

 rather go by the amount of space in the car. That is, always 

 fill the car just as full as it will hold of cattle of a uniform 

 size. By allowing the animals too much space they will push, 

 fight and jam each other so that they will shrink considera- 

 bly more than if they are crowded enough to keep them 

 quiet. If the shipping takes place in mid-summer, when it 

 is very warm, care must be taken to supply the animals with 

 plenty of water on the car. 



If the steers are on full feed in a dry lot the same pre- 

 cautions practically, as above mentioned, will suffice. How- 

 ever, less time or trouble will be required to get the animals 

 in good shipping condition. The full feed ration of grain 

 should be reduced to one-half, a couple of days before ship- 

 ping. 



Whatever distance one has to ship, he should make it a 

 point to have the cattle arrive at the sale yards at 5 a. m., 

 or at least never later than 8 a. m. By such procedure the 

 animals can be fed and watered and thereby make a favora- 

 ble impression on the buyer, as they will evidently be 

 straightened up and appear fairly plump or full. In watering 

 cattle in the yards do not allow them to suck and drink at 

 a half or nearly empty trough, because they are certain to 

 partially fill themselves with air instead of water, thus caus- 

 ing them to appear full, yet weigh light. 



