28 BULLETIN 25, U. S. DEPARTMENT 0E AGPJC D L TUBE . 
words, if cattle can be unloaded from the cars into the feeding pens 
at the market and fed promptly at somewhat near the hour of their 
usual feeding time, it has been noticed that they will take on a better 
fill than when unloaded at night. This, however, is subject to 
weather conditions on arrival. But the nearer the animals can 
follow their former hour of feeding the more naturally they will 
consume their usual quantity. As a rule, after having taken on the 
fill cattle will lie down and rest. If unloaded after daylight and 
fed promptly they will have sufficient time to eat and drink liberally 
and have a good rest before the market formally opens. The fill 
and the rest are both important to the shipper. Where this plan 
could be followed it was noticed that the animals presented a better 
physical appearance. The hollow spots produced by the fatigue of 
the journey were filled out and, their general appearance was more 
smooth. 
Hence, the nearer the regular feeding and watering time at home 
can be adhered to at the market yards, with good weather prevailing, 
the more satisf actory will be the fill. If the shipper is fortunate 
in arriving at a favorable hour with his cattle and can secure a 
natural fill he will have accomplished about all that can be expected 
under present methods of marketing. 
GUARDING AGAINST SHRINKAGE. 
All of the precautions to protect cattle from heavy shrinkage in 
transit may be made useless by some incident of the trip that is 
beyond control. As a matter of fact, when a shipper loads his 
animals aboard the cars for market it is largely a matter of chance 
as to how much weight they will lose during the journey. It was 
observed that seme shippers exercised care in guarding against a 
heavy shrinkage, while others were indifferent, and the final results 
at market were not always in favor of the shipper who was careful. 
However, it is not intended to convey the idea that care and effort 
are not without their reward, but it sometimes happens that the 
painstaking shipper suffers loss that is not visited on the indifferent 
shipper. It is merely one of the fortunes of the business occasioned 
by the elements of chance that enter into the transferring of the 
animals from the farm to the market. 
There are certain established methods of handling stock destined 
for market that are no doubt responsible for a lighter shrinkage in 
transit than would otherwise be the case. In this the railroads 
have endeavored to assist, although one feature they have under- 
taken has proved a failure — that is, the attempt to water cattle 
while they are in the cars. In justice to the companies that have 
