4 
BULLETIN 25, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
water. The last weight was the weight secured when the animals 
were sold. 
The cooperation of the bureau officials at the market was secured, 
so that the weighing of the cattle on arrival could be done officially 
when it was impossible for the field man to follow the shipment. 
This was desired, as such weighing would be more accurate than if 
left to the railroad or stockyards employees, because the common 
practice among the railroad men is to record 100 pounds as the smallest 
break in the scales. For instance, if a loaded car weighed 54,3-10 
pounds, it was written 54.300; if it weighed 54.300, it was made to 
read 54,400 pounds. With the help of the bureau officials at the 
markets the investigator was able to stay in the held and secure 
weights on many more shipments of cattle, and with far less expense, 
than if he had followed each shipment of cattle to their destination. 
A record of the method of handling the cattle for several days- 
previous to shipping was kept, taking into consideration the number 
of miles they were driven to the loading point, how often they were 
grazed or watered en route, the class of cattle, their condition, and 
whether they were fed or watered just before loading. Any other 
items of importance were also noted. 
When cattle were on the cars so long that they had to be unloaded 
for feed and water their weights were secured, when it was possible, 
before they received feed and water, and again afterwards, and a 
careful record was kept of this, as well as of the amount and charac- 
ter of food consumed. Thus direct comparison could be made of 
the shrinkage for the first portion with that of the second portion 
of the journey, and the fill taken at the unloading station could be 
compared with that taken at the market. 
The investigation was to cover the Southwest the first year. The 
work was started with the range cattle of Texas in August, 1010, 
and continued until January 1, 1011. when the shipping of these 
cattle ceased. Temporary headquarters were then transferred to 
Oklahoma City, Okla., which was conveniently situated with regard 
to other places where cattle were being fed. and work was started 
with cattle fed on cottonseed hulls, cottonseed meal, and corn chop 
and was continued until the last of February. 
ACCURACY OF TRACE SCALES. 
At different times during the progress of the work a check was 
made between the railroad track scales and the platform scales of 
the Fort Worth Stock Yards to test the accuracy of the track scales. 
On arrival at Fort Worth the cars of loaded stock were weighed, 
one at a time, on the track scales, and as soon as they were unloaded 
