8 BULLETIN 657, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
actual increase in weight remaining to the packer after dressing and 
on which he must calculate the cost of feeding. For the Rations A ; 
B, and C this is —5.98, +16.50, and +20.27 per cent, respectively, 
of the initial live weight. The size of the bird must also be con- 
sidered when calculating the slaughter loss. The foregoing figures 
are based on birds which showed a dressed weight between 2 and 3 
pounds. Birds weighing over 3 pounds, dressed weight, have an 
increased slaughter loss of from 1 to 2 per cent. 
Table 8. — Relation between gain in live weight and total shrinkage (young chickens). 1 
Initial live 'weight (pounds) 
Weight gained by fleshing (pounds) 
Final live weight (pounds) 
Total shrinkage (per cent of final live weight) 
"Weight lost in total shrinkage (pounds) 
Weight gained by fleshing, less total shrinkage (pounds) . 
Ration 
A. 
100. 00 
5.00 
105. 00 
10.46 
10.98 
-5.98 
Ration Ration 
B. C. 
100. 00 
30.41 
130. 41 
10.67 
13.91 
16.50 
100.00 
35.01 
135 01 
10.92 
14 74 
20.27 
1 These calculations are based on the average gain in live weight (Table 3) and the average total shrinkage 
(Table 7) obtained with each ration. 
RELATION OF INITIAL WEIGHT TO FINAL GAIN. 
The birds used in these experiments averaged 1.7 pounds when 
they entered the feeding cages. The birds after fleshing weighed 
on an average 2.2 pounds for Kation B and 2.3 pounds for Ration C. 
Included in these averages, however, are initial live weights varying 
from 0.875 pound to 2.5 pounds, and final live weights varying 
from 1.2 pounds to 3 pounds. The best results were obtained with 
birds having an initial live weight of 2 pounds or less. Birds over 
2 pounds made profitable gains, but showed an irregularity which was 
less apparent in the younger stock. 
Table 9. — Resume of the change in weight by individual broilers during fleshing for 
14 days. 
Percentage of broilers with gain of— 
Less than 10 per cent of initial live weight . 
10 per cent or more of initial live weight . . 
20 per cent or more of initiallive weight. . 
30 per cent or more of initiallive weight . . . 
40 per cent or more of initiallive weight- . 
50 per cent or more of initiallive weight-. . . 
60 per cent or more of initiallive weight . . 
70 per cent or more of initiallive weight. . . 
Percentage of broilers with loss of— 
Less than 10 per cent of initial live weight . 
10 per cent or more of initiallive weight . . 
20 per cent or more of initial live weight. . 
30 per cent or more of initiallive weight . . 
40 per cent or more of initial live weight. . 
100 per cent of initial live weight (died) 
Total number of broilers. 
Percentage gaining 
Percentage losing. 
Ration 
A. 
Ration Ration 
B. C. 
34. 68 
44.36 
7.26 
.81 
15.32 
5.65 
4.04 
3.23 
3.23 
2.42 
4.03 
91.93 
79.03 
58.06 
29.03 
9.6S 
2.42 
2.42 
1.61 
124 124 
79.03 95.9^ 
20.97 4.02 
0.8t 
95. 94 
87.00 
65. 86 
39.84 
22. 77 
7.32 
2.44 
1.63 
1.63 
