﻿78 BULLETIN 25, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



lance and arrived at market during- the night usually did not fill 

 well. If they arrived the afternoon before or about daylight of the 

 sale day, they generally took a good fill. 



(h) The climatic conditions at the market. 



2. An exceedingly large fill at market is not desired, as it will de-> 

 tract from the selling price. 



3. The shrinkage on calves may seem small, but under normal con- 

 ditions it holds about the same proportion to their weight as is found 

 with grown cattle. 



4. The difference between the shrinkage of cows and steers is not 

 as great as is ordinarily supposed. Steers will usually shrink some- 

 what less than cows of the same weight. 



5. The shrinkage during the first 24 hours is greater proportion- 

 ately than for any succeeding period of the same duration. 



6. The shrinkage of cattle was found to vary in direct proportion 

 to their live weight when conditions were the same and all other 

 factors were equal. 



7. The shrinkage of range cattle in transit over TO hours during 

 a normal year is from 5 to 6 per cent of their live weight. If they 

 are in transit 36 hours or less the shrinkage will range from 3 to 4 

 per cent of their live weight. 



8. The shrinkage of fed cattle does not differ greatly from that of 

 range cattle for equal periods of time. It varied from about 3 per 

 cent with all of the silage-fed cattle and 4.2 per cent with the corn- 

 fed cattle, when both classes of these animals were in transit for less 

 than 36 hours, to 5.4 per cent for the pulp-fed cattle which were in 

 transit from 60 to 120 hours. 



9. Cattle fed on silage have a large gross shrinkage but usually 

 fill so well at market that the net shrinkage is small. 



10. Pulp-fed cattle shrink more in transit than any other class of 

 cattle, and also present a greater net shrinkage. 



11. The shrinkage on cattle is proportionately smaller for each 12 

 hours they are in transit after the first 24-hour period is passed. 

 This is shown very clearly in Table 29, which presents a general sum- 

 mary of the work. 



12. For a long journey the common method of unloading for feed, 

 water, and rest is to be preferred to the use of " feed and water " cars. 



13. Cattle should be weighed before being loaded wherever practi- 

 cable, since a comparison of this weight with the sale weight will 

 show the net shrinkage. Moreover this weight at point of origin 

 may be of material benefit to the shipper in case of a wreck or a 

 very poor run to market. 



o 



