﻿LIVE-STOCK SHIPPING ASSOCIATIONS. 31 



Cattle are generally sold and weighed by ownership, each owner 

 being charged with the actual shrinkage on his animals. However, 

 when the cattle in a load run fairly uniform as to grade and quality, 

 they may be sold as one lot. Even in such cases individua] weights 

 are usually obtained. 



The same methods do not predominate to the same degree on all 

 the markets. The practice of selling and weighing by grades pre- 

 vails to a greater extent on some markets than on others, depend- 

 ing partly on custom, the adequacy of the handling facilities, the 

 practices of packer, order and other buyers, the volume of co- 

 operative shipments, and partly on the custom and attitude of the 

 salesmen of commission firms. Whether or not a market is receiv- 

 ing shipments from territory in which cooperative shipping is of 

 recent origin also has its influence. It may be said, however, that 

 on all markets the commission firms which solicit cooperative ship- 

 ments (and most of them now do so) attempt in so far as it is 

 possible to carry out the instructions of the managers with respect 

 to selling, weighing, and prorating. 



Naturally the manager of a shipping association is vitally con- 

 cerned in having the live stock handled in such a way as to net the 

 shipper the largest possible return. In order that the manager may 

 attain this end what shall be his instructions to the commission firm 

 regarding methods of weighing and selling? The following discus- 

 sion of the relative merits of the different methods should aid him 

 in deciding this question in the light of the conditions under which 

 he is operating. 



The question seems to resolve itself into three main problems: (1) 

 Selling the live stock so as to obtain the largest gross amount pos- 

 sible; (2) weighing so as to reduce the shrinkage to the minimum; 

 (3) selling and weighing in such a way as to make possible a fair 

 division of the total returns and the shrinkage among the different 

 shippers. 



SELLING METHODS. 



Selling each owner's live stock separately is usually impracticable, 

 except in the case of cattle. More time and labor is required to handle 

 a load under this method and it is more difficult to find buyers who 

 are willing to take the time and trouble to make their purchases piece- 

 meal. More sorting is required, resulting in more shrinkage, and the 

 number of drafts on the scales is increased. The net return is more 

 likely than not to be disappointing to the shippers. 



The chief advantage claimed by many shippers for this method is 

 that it materially reduces the shrinkage, but it is doubtful if this is 

 the case. The chief objection is that when the animals are not of 

 uniform grade and quality, the pricing of the load according to 

 grades is based on the salesman's opinion rather than on actual sales 

 which, unless arrived at conscientiously, may result in an unfair dis- 

 tribution of the returns among the shippers. This objection can, how- 

 ever, be overcome to a considerable extent, if not entirely, by home 

 grading by a competent manager. 



The main disadvantages of selling by ownership might be avoided 

 by selling the carload as a unit for a flat sum. Some salesmen main- 

 tain that more can usually be obtained for a straight carload than 

 for a load which is divided into several lots according to ownership. 



