﻿SHRINKAGE OF WEIGHT OF BEEF CATTLE IN TRANSIT. 



55 



As these cattle were fed and watered in the cars and were not un- 

 loaded, the shrinkage for the first 30 hours could not be secured. The 

 first shipment had a net shrinkage per head of 72 pounds, and the 

 second shipment shrank 67 pounds per head. The average shrink- 

 age on the two shipments for the whole journey was 70 pounds. 



It is of interest to note that all the five shipments in the table were 

 shipped under the same conditions, except that the first three were 

 unloaded for feed and water, whereas the last two were fed and 

 watered in the tars; and the shrinkage was exactly the same in each 

 case. The steers in the last lot from Walker, S. Dak., were a little 

 lighter in weight and were in transit a few hours less, which would 

 give them a little advantage over the other lot. 



Notwithstanding the fact that the shrinkage by the two methods 

 of shipping may be the same, the cattle that are rushed through on a 

 long journey in the feed and water cars will naturally look more 

 jaded when they reach the market, because they do not have the same 

 chance to rest while in transit. 



The first three shipments of Table 20 lost 5.5 per cent and the last. 

 two shipments 0.3 per cent of their live weight in transit to market. 

 The average for all the steers shows a shrinkage of 5.9 per cent of 

 their live weight. 



Table 20. — Range steers in transit over 36 hours 



Num- 

 ber 



Point of origin. 



Time 



in 

 transit, 



first 

 period. 



Aver- 

 age 

 weight 

 at point 



of 

 origin. 



Shrinkage, 

 first period. 



Aver- 

 age 

 fill, 

 first 

 period. 



Time 

 in 



transit, 

 second 

 period. 



Shrinkage, 

 second period. 



of 

 head. 



Before 

 fill. 



After 

 fill. 



Before 

 fill. 



After 

 fill. 



115 





Hours. 

 35 

 35 

 32 



Pounds. 

 1,226 

 1,307 

 1,420 

 1,176 

 1, 132 



Pounds. 

 70 

 86 

 96 



Pounds. 

 31 



47 

 54 



Pounds. 

 39 

 39 

 42 



Hours. 

 36 

 35 

 35 



Pounds. 

 75 



77 

 55 



Pounds. 



34 



46 



.. . do 



36 



42 





15 



315 



Walker, S. Dak 



Fed and watered in cars 







212 



do 





do. 





















1 









34 





79 



39 



40 



72 



31 















Num- 

 ber 



Point of origin. 



Fill at 

 market. 



Total 



time 



in 



transit. 



Total 



shrinkage. 



Remarks. 



of 

 head. 



Before 

 fill. 



After 

 fill. 



115 





Pounds. 

 41 



41 

 40 



Hours. 

 71 



70 



67 



76 

 55 



Pounds. 

 106 



124 

 109 



Pounds. 

 65 



83 

 69 



72 



67 



Drifted 18 miles in 2 davs. 

 Medium fill. 



46 



do 



42 



Glendive, Mont 



These were larger and coarser 

 steers. 



315 



Walker, S. Dak 



hay night before and morning 

 of shipping. 

 Were drifted. 42 miles. Grazing 

 fine. Only medium fill. 

 Do 



212 



do 







Grand average * 









41 



68 





70 





i These averages are for the first three shipments in the table, excepting total time in transit and total net 

 shrink. 



