﻿SHRINKAGE OF WEIGHT 01 BEEF CATTLE IN TRANSIT. 



67 



The average shrinkage per bead on the mixed cattle from Odessa 

 that were in transit less than 24 hours was 28 pounds. Then.' wen; 

 673 head of these cattle shown in Table 25. A comparison of these 

 with the shipments of Table 20 discloses the fact that the cattle in 

 transit 29 hours shrank 12 pounds more than those in transit less 

 than 24 hours. As all of them should have made the trip within the 

 24-hour limit, the excess shrinkage of 12 pounds per head may be 

 attributed to the poor or slow transportation. 



RANGE CALVES IN TRANSIT TO MARKET. 



The shrinkage on calves lias been found to be more uniform than 

 on any other class of cattle shipped. Regardless of the weather, 

 grazing, and other factors which seriously affect the shrinkage on 

 large cattle, the variation in the shrinkage of calves is small. This 

 is because the cows are always driven to the loading pens with the 

 calves, and the calves stay with their mothers until time to cut them 

 out to load. Their fill therefore is of milk, which is usually small 

 in amount, and the subsequent shrinkage is likewise small. The fill 

 at market also is not large, being but a few pounds as a rule, hence 

 the uniformity in the results obtained. 



On the 211 calves in Table 27 there is a shrinkage of 11 to 13 

 pounds for the different shipments. This gave an average of 12 

 pounds, or 4.8 per cent of their live weight. It is seen, therefore, 

 that while the shrinkage is small it is uniform and in about the 

 same proportion to the weight of the animals as with grown cattle. 



Table 27. — Range calves in transit less than 36 hours. 



Num- 

 ber 

 of 



head. 



Point of origin. 



Time 



in 

 transit. 



Aver- 

 age 



weight 

 at 



point 

 of 



origin. 



Aver- 

 age 

 weight 

 at des- 

 tination 

 after 

 fill. 



Aver- 

 age 

 net 



shrink- 

 age. 



Remarks. 



n 





Hours. 

 28J 



21 

 19| 



Pounds. 



216 



253 

 271 



Pounds. 

 205 



240 

 260 



Pounds. 

 11 



13 

 11 





73 



do 



or water. 



65 









Grand average 



cows until loaded. 





23 



246 



234 



12 





SUMMARY. 



In Table 28 is presented a summary of the work of 1911. About 

 5,000 animals were weighed in securing these data. The grazing 

 season of 1911 was about the average for good years, or a little better 

 than the average when all years are considered. The results secured 



