﻿SHRINKAGE OF WEIGHT OF BEEF CATTLE IN TRANSIT. 31 



after an average trail from 15 to 20 pounds while cooling in the 

 railroad pens. The distance traveled, the condition of the roads as 

 to whether they were dry, muddy, or covered with snow, and the 

 condition of the weather all have something to do with this loss of 

 weight after arrival at the yards. 



An experiment Avas made with one lot of }^earlings, averaging 

 slightly less than 1,000 pounds, that had been driven between 2 and 8 

 miles under normal conditions. Weights were taken promptly on 

 arrival and again after 3 hours of rest in open pens without feed or 

 water. In this instance the shrinkage while cooling amounted to 

 12^ pounds per head. 



The fact that there is a shrinkage while cooling would appear to 

 be an added reason for feeding and watering before loading. when 

 there is opportunity to do' so. As before stated, it was observed that 

 when feed was provided at the yards previous to loading it was gen- 

 erally consumed, with the result that the shrinkage was eliminated 

 and the cattle fortified for the journey. 



BREED NOT A FACTOR. 



The investigation embraced all kinds of cattle common to the range 

 and the feed lots. It included practically all of the beef breeds fat- 

 tened on various feeds in different parts of the West and Middle 

 West. Some of the animals were wild and difficult to manage; 

 others were docile and quiet. Data were obtained on shipments 

 ranging from 15 hours to several days in transit. Cattle acclimated 

 to a rough environment may withstand more hardship and appear to 

 be more rugged, but it was not ascertained that such cattle expe- 

 rienced less shrinkage in transit than others. True, the amount of 

 shrinkage varied in individual shipments of the same breeds over 

 like distances, but there were conditions experienced that accounted 

 for the differences. 



There was no particular difference noted between the cattle fat- 

 tened on the ranges and those fattened on corn and hay. The shrink- 

 age in transit and the fill at market of these two kinds, without re- 

 spect to breed, was quite similar under like conditions. It was ob- 

 served, however, that there was a difference in the fill at market of 

 straight corn-fed cattle as compared with silage-fed cattle. It was 

 also observed that the amount of shrinkage experienced by the ani- 

 mals fed on silage was somewhat more, as a rule, than cattle fattened 

 on the range or on dry feed, but the increased fill at market was more 

 than sufficient to offset the increased shrinkage of these animals, so 

 much so that the records show a large percentage of increased net 

 fill in favor of the silage feeding. 



