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SHBINKAGE OF WEIGHT OF BEEF CATTLE IX TRANSIT. 13 



MIXED RANGE CATTLE IN TRANSIT LESS THAN 36 HOURS. 



The shipments of Table 3 were in tnmsit for an average of 22 

 hours. The average weight of the T91 head was 589 pounds, being 

 small because of the admixture of calves and yearlings with these 

 cattle. Further evidence of the abnormal conditions that prevailed 

 when the shipments were made is shown by the results in this table. 

 The first shipment of 20 cattle from Colorado, Tex., had a good fill 

 When loaded and shrank 50 pounds per head in transit, and when put 

 on feed at market would not fill, taking on but 1 pound per head 

 before being sold. The result was they shoAved a large loss in weight. 

 The same was true of the 35 head from Big Spring, except these 

 continued to shrink after reaching market, weighing 6 pounds lighter 

 when sold than on arrival. 



The reverse, however, is true of four of the shipments, which took 

 a fill at market greater than the shrinkage in transit, leaving the 

 cattle heavjer when sold than when loaded at the point of origin. 

 This was due to a certain extent to bad treatment in handling the 

 cattle previous to loading. The shipment of 169 cattle, for instance, 

 had been on the trail for 5 days previous to loading, with very little 

 to eat or drink. Another consignment had no water for 30 hours 

 before being loaded and, of course, weighed up very light. The con- 

 signment of 141 head were thin cows that had been trailed 2 days 

 with very little grass or water. When conditions of treatment are 

 such as just named, it is only to be expected that cattle will be very 

 empty and weigh up light at the loading pens, and if they get a 

 chance to fill well at market, the fill may overcome the small shrink- 

 age experienced in shipping. 



The grand average presents the fact that the cattle shrank 34 

 pounds in transit, and subsequently filled 31 pounds at the market, 

 leaving a net shrinkage of but 3 pounds per head. The results 

 reported in Table 2 show that the shrinkage was 11 pounds greater 

 per head on cows weighing 750 pounds than on mixed cattle, which 

 were almost 200 pounds smaller. 



In addition to the cattle recorded in the table, we have a record 

 of 34 head, loaded at Colorado, Tex., which were 25 hours in transit 

 and weighed 675 pounds per head on loading and 671 pounds when 

 sold at market, thus showing a net shrinkage of 4 pounds. These 

 cattle had no water for 15 hours before loading, but as the record of 

 shrinkage and fill at market were not secured, they are omitted from 

 the table. 



