﻿4 BULLETIN 2o, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



water- The last weight was the weight secured when the animals 

 were sold. 



The cooperation of the bureau officials at the market was secured, 

 so that the weighing of the cattle on arrival could be done officially 

 when it was impossible for the field man to follow the shipment. 

 This was desired, as such weighing would be more accurate than if 

 left to the railroad or stockyards employees, because the common 

 practice among the railroad men is to record 100 pounds as the smallest 

 break in the scales. For instance, if a loaded car weighed 54,340 

 pounds, it was Avritten 54.300; if it weighed 54.360, it was made to 

 read 54400 pounds. With • the help of the bureau officials at the 

 markets the investigator was able to sta}^ in the field and secure 

 Aveights on many more shipments of cattle, and with far less expense, 

 than if he had followed each shipment of cattle to their destination. 



A record of the method of handling the cattle for several days 

 previous to shipping was kept, taking into consideration the number 

 of miles they were driven to the loading point, how often they were 

 grazed or watered en route, the class of cattle, their condition, and 

 whether they were fed or watered just before loading. Any other 

 items of importance were also noted. 



When cattle were on the cars so long that they had to be unloaded 

 for feed and water their weights were secured, when it was possible, 

 before they received feed and water, and again afterwards, and a 

 careful record was kept of this, as well as of the amount and charac- 

 ter of food consumed. Thus direct comparison could be made of 

 the shrinkage for the first portion with that of the second portion 

 of the journey, and the fill taken at the unloading station could be 

 compared with that taken at the market. 



The investigation was to cover the Southwest the first year. The 

 work was started with the range cattle of Texas in August, 1910, 

 and continued until January -1, 1911, when the shipping of these 

 cattle ceased. Temporary headquarters were then transferred to 

 Oklahoma City, Okla., which was conveniently situated with regard 

 to other places where cattle were being fed, and Avork was started 

 with cattle fed on cottonseed hulls, cottonseed meal, and corn chop 

 and AA-as continued until the last of February. / 



ACCURACY OF TRACK SCALES. 



At different times during the progress of the work a check was 

 made between the railroad track scales and the platform scales of 

 the Fort Worth Stock Yards to test the accuracy of the track scales. 

 On arrival at Fort Worth the cars of loaded stock were Aveighed, 

 one at a time, on the track scales, and as soon as they were unloaded 



