﻿SHRINKAGE OF WEIGHT OF BEEF CATTLE IN TBANSIT. 9 



water before loading, a severe change of the weather may prevent 

 them from taking any water at all, and they may weigh ii|> Light at 

 the point of origin, which will have a tendency to produce a smaller 

 shrinkage than if filled under normal conditions. Then, too, a 

 severe change of weather at the market may likewise prevent the 

 animals from taking a fill. 



THE FILL AT MARKET. 



The fill taken at market depends largely upon the weather. Cat- 

 tle arriving at market where everything is coated with snow and ice, 

 or during a blizzard, or when a "norther" is blowing, will usually 

 drink very little water and may eat little feed. They weigh up light 

 and the shrinkage is great. Cold, rainy, windy weather prevents a 

 good fill from being taken. Close, warm, muggy weather is also 

 detrimental to a good fill for fat animals, as they have no appetite 

 and will eat and drink little. If cattle have four hours or more for 

 rest, feed, and water, and the weather is mild, with the sun shining, 

 a good fill is practically assured. Cattle that have had a very long, 

 hard journey have a tendency to lie down soon after reaching the 

 pens, instead of taking a fill. In .a case of this kind, if they have 

 several hours' rest, they may then take a good fill. The fill can be 

 increased by giving the animals hay only on arrival and turning 

 them to the water an hour or two before the market opens. 



TREATMENT OF CATTLE AT MARKET. 



The treatment cattle receive on arrival at the market depends upon 

 the hour of arrival, the class of cattle, and the journey they have had. 

 If they arrive in the afternoon or early night, they may be given a 

 little water and an abundance of hajr. Early the next morning water 

 may be turned on and kept before them all day. If the cattle are 

 from the range, they will receive only hay and water. If they are 

 from feed lots, the shipper may have them fed some crushed corn, 

 or other feed early on the morning of sale day. 



Cattle arriving just before the market opens or during the morn- 

 ing of the sale day will be turned to feed and water immediately. 

 These animals, unless very weary, usually take a medium fill and 

 are likely to be sold before they lose much of it. The care of the 

 cattle after arrival is in the hands of the commission men, and they 

 can usually be depended upon to see that the animals have every 

 opportunity to take a good fill. It is not always desirable, how- 

 ever, for cattle to have an excessive fill at market, as the buyers are 

 always on the lookout for such animals and will bid correspondingly 

 lower on them. The increase in weight is seldom great enough to 

 overcome the decrease in value of the animals because of their 



