128 BEEF PRODUCTION 



there will be a heavy shrinkage when slaughtered. Any 

 practice which tends toward securing an abnormal fill 

 on cattle at the yards is neither a legitimate practice 

 nor is it likely, in the long run, to prove a paying propo- 

 sition from the standpoint of the shipper. On the other 

 hand, it is a well-known fact that unless some precau- 

 tions are taken before shipment, the cattle are apt to 

 scour and shrink abnormally. The shipper is justified 

 therefore, in using legitimate methods of preventing 

 scours, not only to avoid an abnormal shrinkage, but also 

 to prevent the cattle arriving at the market in a filthy 

 condition, which, from the standpoint of the buyer, 

 would not add to their attractiveness. 



MANAGEMENT IS LARGEST FACTOR 



It may have been inferred from what has been said 

 that the principal point to be observed in shipping cattle 

 without too much shrinkage is following some peculiar 

 method of feeding, but the writer believes that the larg- 

 est factor is the management of the cattle — that is, they 

 should be so quietly handled that they do not become 

 excited or heated. If possible, driving should be done 

 in the cool of the morning or evening. There are some 

 feeds, which, if the cattle have access to them prior to 

 shipment, will be more likely to cause scours than others. 

 These are shelled corn, cornmeal, oil meal, silage, clover 

 hay, alfalfa, cow-pea hay, and grass. Cattle that are fat- 

 tened on grass and grain during the early part of the 

 season may well be yarded for a day or two before ship- 

 ment and fed timothy hay and a considerably reduced 

 grain ration. 



Fat cattle shipped from the dry lot, if receiving clover 

 or alfalfa for roughage, should be changed to timothy 

 hay at least twenty-four hours before shipment. No 

 full grain ration should be given after twelve hours be- 

 fore shipment, although it is advisable at times, and 

 especially if the cattle have been fattened on shelled corn 

 or meal, to add a liberal amount of oats or bran to the 



