﻿■SHRINKAGE OF WEIGHT OF KE&ffi (WTTLK J\ TBANSIT. 3 



2. To determine, if possible, at what period of the journey the 

 greatest shrinkage occurred. 



3. To study what effects the different methods of handling the 

 eattle previous to loading them had upon the shrinkage in transit. 



4. To note the effect of the weather at time of shipping upon the 

 Shrinkage in transit and the fill taken at market. 



5. To determine the relative benefit, if any, of a good, quick run to 

 market as compared to a slow, rough trip with careless, handling of 

 the train. 



6. To see whether or not feeding and watering the cattle a short 

 time before loading them was beneficial. 



7. To note the difference in shipping cattle long distances in " feed 

 and water" cars without unloading them, as against the method of 

 unloading in transit to feed, water, and allow the stock to rest. 



8. To study the shrinkage of cattle that have been finished for the 

 market upon various feedstuff's. 



0. To note what influence the season will exert upon the shrinkage. 



10. To obtain reliable data that may be used as a basis upon which 

 the cattleman can calculate the approximate shrinkage in weight 

 of his cattle in shipping. 



PLAN OP THE WORK. 



This investigation was begun in August,, 1910, and was planned to 

 extend into the important parts of the range and feeding sections of 

 the country and to incorporate results for the different classes of 

 cattle when shipped under various conditions. To carry out the in- 

 vestigation the cooperation of both the railroads and the cattlemen 

 had to be obtained. The cooperation of the railroads was necessary, 

 as there Avere no stock scales on the ranches of the Southwest, so the 

 cattle had to be weighed on the railroad track scales at the point of 

 origin. The cars had to be weighed while empty and again after 

 loading, the difference in the two weights being, of course, the weight 

 of the cattle. 



Each car was" cut loose " at each end from the other cars, so that 

 the " pull " on the coupling would not affect the weight of the car. 

 This required quite a little work from the crews of the switch en- 

 gines, but the help was always courteously given by the railroads 

 without charge. The shipper was asked to sign a printed form giv- 

 ing his consent to have the cattle weighed, so that the railroads could 

 not be held responsible for the little delay caused by weighing the 

 stock. The work w T as done very fast, requiring about one minute 

 per car. and very little time was lost. 



The weights of the animals were taken at the point of loading, 

 on arrival at their destination, and again after having rest, feed, and 



