298 THE MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF CATTLE 



finished in the feed lot, or yard, will shrink less than 

 those finished in the stall, as they have greater power to 

 accommodate themselves to the jostling which is the ac- 

 companiment of conveyance to market. The more 

 docile they are, the less they will shrink, as the degree 

 of the disturbance felt decreases with increasing docility, 

 hence there is less of disturbance to the digestion. The 

 higher the finish, as a rule, the less will be the shrink- 

 age, as high finish brings with it increased firmness of 

 flesh and increased weight in proportion to the contents 

 of the digestive organs, which are largely lost in transit. 

 The time occupied by the journey is probably the most 

 potent influence with reference to loss of weight, but 

 this loss is proportionately greater in the early stages 

 of the journey because of the larger amounts of waste 

 products that are expelled from the digestive organs. 

 The more uncomfortable the weather, the greater will be 

 the loss of weight, because at such times the disturbance 

 to the functions of the system is greater. The character 

 of the food fed just before shipment also exercises an 

 influence which it has on the condition of the bowels. 

 (See page 294.) It may also be mentioned that dairy 

 cows will shrink more, relatively, than other cattle of 

 similar age, because of the greater relative capacity of 

 the paunch which they usually possess. 



When the animals are sold locally, the time and 

 place for weighing are determined by mutual agreement. 

 When they are driven a few miles and are then weighed 

 at the end of the journey, no further shrinkage, as a rule, 

 is required. A\'hen the}' are weighed on the farm, with- 

 out fasting, the shrinkage is more commonly put at 5 

 per cent of the live weight. In some instances it is 

 mutually agreed that thev shall be fasted 12 hours before 

 Ijeing weighed, and in addition the shrinkage will be a 

 certain percentage of the live weight, not usually more 

 than 2 or 3 per cent. Stall-fed cattle shrink heavily 

 when thev must be dri\'en far to market, and the heavier 



