52 
BULLETIN 25, U. S. DEPAETMEXT OF AGBICULTUBE. 
a few shipments that the results could not be taken as a general 
average for future consignments. Eealizing that additional data 
were necessary to make the investigation comprehensive and com- 
plete, the work was begun in the Northwest in September, 1911, and 
continued there until the end of the shipping season for range cattle. 
It was then taken up again in the Southwest with range cattle and 
continued until the movement of these cattle ceased. 
LESSENING THE SHRINKAGE. 
Many shippers in the Northwest realize that if cattle are handled 
carelessly there is apt to be a heavy shrinkage, and to a certain 
extent they try to avoid it. This is done by using judgment in trail- 
ing the cattle to the loading pens, grazing on the way. avoiding too 
long a drive without resting, and giving animals some feed and 
water before loading. Some shippers contend that cattle should 
have no feed and water for four to eight hours previous to loading. 
Nearly all agree that an abnormal fill just before loading has a very 
detrimental etfect upon the animals. There is a natural tendency 
for all cattle to lie down after feeding, and if the cattle are abnor- 
mally full when loaded they do not stand up well in the car. In 
these circumstances some will lie down and get trampled. A light 
feed of prairie hay. about two bales to each car of stock, and some 
water, not all they will drink, is the most desirable feed for cattle 
before loading. Alfalfa is not so desirable, as it has a tendency to 
loosen the bowels. Sometimes hay is put in the racks of cars; and 
if cattle have been trailed a long distance with little to eat, the hay 
will be relished by them and they will not be quite so restless. If 
they were fed just previous to loading, however, and are to be 
unloaded at some good feeding station, the hay in the racks is 
superfluous. 
Some of the railroads continue to use " feed and water " cars, so 
that cattle will not have to be unloaded on the way to market. 
These, however, are unsatisfactory, for if only enough animals are 
put into the car so they can lie down to rest the load will be very 
light and the proportionate freight on each animal will be high. 
On the other hand, if they are loaded as are the normal stock cars 
the animals get very little feed and water, and can not lie down. 
LARGE SHRINKAGE NOT ALWAYS AN INDICATION OF POOR 
TREATMENT. 
The shrinkage of animals depends to a large extent upon their 
treatment prior to loading at the point of origin. If they have had 
plenty of feed and water before being loaded they will show a rather 
large shrinkage, whereas a shipment which has had rough treatment 
and no feed or water before loading may be so empty when loaded 
that the fill taken at market may overcome the shrinkage in transit. 
