﻿52 BULLETIN 25, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



a feAv shipments that the results could not be taken as a general 

 average for future consignments. Kealizing that additional data 

 were necessary to make the investigation comprehensive and com- 

 plete, the work was begun in the Northwest in September, 1911, and 

 continued there until the end of the shipping season for range cattle. 

 It was then taken up again in the Southwest with range cattle and 

 continued until the movement of these cattle ceased. 



LESSENING THE SHRINKAGE. 



Many shippers in the Northwest realize that if cattle are handled 

 carelessly there is apt to be a heavy shrinkage, and to a certain 

 extent they try to avoid it. This is done by using judgment in trail- 

 ing the cattle to the loading pens, grazing on the way, avoiding too 

 long a drive without resting, and giving animals some feed and 

 water before loading. Some shippers contend that cattle should 

 have no feed and water for four to eight hours previous to loading. 

 Nearly all agree that an abnormal fill just before loading has a very 

 detrimental effect upon the animals. There is a natural tendency 

 for all cattle to lie down after feeding, and if the cattle are abnor- 

 mally full when loaded they do not stand up well in the car. In 

 these circumstances some will lie down and get trampled. A light 

 feed of prairie hay, about two bales to each car of stock, and some 

 water, not all they w T ill drink, is the most desirable feed for cattle 

 before loading. Alfalfa is not so desirable, as it has a tendency to 

 loosen the bowels. Sometimes hay is put in the racks of cars; and 

 if cattle have been trailed a long distance with little to eat, the hay 

 will be relished by them and they will not be quite so restless. If 

 they Avere fed just previous to loading, however, and are to be 

 unloaded at some good feeding station, the hay in the racks is 

 superfluous. 



Some of the railroads continue to use " feed and water " cars, so 

 that cattle will not have to be unloaded on the way to market. 

 These, ho\A 7 ever, are unsatisfactory, for if only enough animals are 

 put into the car so they can lie down to rest the load will be very 

 light and the proportionate freight on each animal will be high. 

 On the other hand, if they are loaded as are the normal stock cars 

 the animals get very little feed and water, and can not lie down. 



LARGE SHRINKAGE NOT ALWAYS AN INDICATION OF POOR 



TREATMENT. 



The shrinkage of animals depends to a large extent upon their 

 treatment prior to loading at the point of origin. If they have had 

 plenty of feed and water before being loaded they Avill show a rather 

 large shrinkage, whereas a shipment which has had rough treatment 

 and no feed or water before loading may be so empty when loaded 

 that the fill taken at market may overcome the shrinkage in transit. 



