﻿SHEINKAGE OF WEIGHT OF BEEF CATTLE IN TRANSIT. 77 



Cattle shipped in " feed and water " cars do not seem to shrink 

 any more than cattle handled by the common method of unloading 

 to feed in transit, but they do not look as well at market, since they 

 oftentimes have a drawn appearance. This is only natural, as these 

 cars are usually loaded the same as ordinary cars, and the cattle can 

 not lie down to rest. 



The shrinkage in transit may be increased by sudden changes of 

 temperature, or by cold rains or snow. 



The fill at market varies greatly with different cattle, or with 

 various shipments of the same class of cattle when weather conditions 

 are not the same. The fill depends to a large extent upon the time 

 of arrival. If cattle arrive about four to six hours before they are 

 offered for sale they will usually take a good fill. They may take a 

 good fill, however, and then be held until so late in the day before 

 being sold that they will lose most of it. This is especially true with 

 range cattje. as they are usually nervous and do not eat much in the 

 daytime, while crowds of people are about. 



Cattle that arrive the afternoon before being sold usually take a 

 good fill if the weather is favorable and they are given the same kind 

 of feed to which they have been accustomed. 



When cattle have undergone a long journey to market requiring 

 from 60 to 100 hours, the character of the accommodations at the 

 unloading station was found to affect the shrinkage of the animals. 

 Where the pens were sheltered, well drained, and located in a quiet 

 place the cattle took a nice fill and a good rest, and the shrinkage 

 was smaller than when they were unloaded under less favorable 

 conditions. 



SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS. 



The three years' work may be briefly summarized as follows : 



1. The shrinkage of cattle in transit depends very materially upon : 



(a) The conditions existing at the time of shipping and upon the 

 treatment received during the drive to the loading pens. 



(b) The length of time the cattle were held without feed and water 

 before being loaded. 



(c) The nature of the fill which the cattle had before loading. If 

 it was of succulent grass, beet pulp, or silage, a great loss in weight 

 was experienced. 



(d) The weather conditions at the time of loading and while in 

 transit. 



(e) The character of the run to market. Slow, rough runs nat- 

 urally caused a greater shrinkage. 



(/) The kind of treatment they received at unloading stations. 

 (g) The time of arrival at market. If they arrived just before 

 being sold, the fill was small. Cattle that were shipped a long dis- 



