MARKETING CATTLE WHEN FINISHED 297 



will be helpful chiefly because it allows the animals to 

 rest in a lying-down posture. The food for such feed- 

 ing can usually be obtained by purchase at such feeding 

 stations at the cost, of course, to the shipper. 



The aim should be to have cattle come into the stock 

 yards at night or in the early morning. When properly 

 consigned, they will be unloaded as shown below, with 

 much promptness and will also be properly fed and 

 watered long enough before the time of inspection by 

 intending buyers to enable them to satisfy their wants. 

 If they arrive after the sales for the day are over, they 

 remain in the yards on expense until the following day 

 before they are sold. As will be manifest, however, the 

 time at which the loaded cars reach the unloading shoots 

 cannot, in all instances, be controlled even by the rail- 

 road authorities. 



Shrinkage while in transit. — The loss of weight by 

 cattle when in transit varies greatly. In some instances, 

 it is not more than lo to 20 pounds. In other instances, 

 it is not less than 60 to 70 pounds. That such variation 

 should occur will be readily apparent upon considering 

 the causes that lead to variations given below. 



The following are chief among the influences that 

 affect shrinkage in cattle while in transit: (i) The age 

 of the animals; (2) the foods used in fattening them; 

 (3) the degree of docility possessed ; (4) the exercise 

 taken while being fattened; (5) the degree of the finish 

 given; (6) the time occupied in the journey; and (7) 

 the character of the weather. 



Young animals, as a rule, shrink more in proportion 

 to the live weight than animals that are older, as the 

 flesh contains more water, which is more readily lost 

 than fat. Likewise animals that have been fed large 

 quantities of succulent food while being fattened will 

 lose more than animals finished chiefly on dry concen- 

 trates, as the flesh of the former is more juicy. Animals 

 that have exercised freely while being fattened, as when 



