54 BULLETIN 25, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
of steers, each of which consisted of two to five carloads, should give 
a fair average for this class of cattle. 
These three shipments were composed of high-grade Hereford 
steers, 3 and 4 years old, and were in good flesh. They were good 
grass-fat steers, showing quality and breeding, and were very smooth 
for range cattle. They were drifted from the ranch to the ioading 
pens, being herded along the way. All were in good condition when 
loaded. In weight they ranged from 1,225 to 1,420 pounds each at 
the point of origin, and were in transit 35 hours from the loading 
points to Staples, Minn., where they were unloaded for feed and rest. 
During this stage of the journey the shrinkage for each lot A^aried 
from 70 to 96 pounds per head, the average for all being 79 pounds. 
While at Staples they took on an average fill of 40 pounds, leaving a 
net shrinkage of 39 pounds per steer for the first 35 hours in transit. 
The fill taken by each lot was almost exactly the same. 
The run from Staples to Chicago, the second stage of the journey, 
required 35 hours, or the same as for the first stage. The average 
shrinkage for the second stage was 72 pounds, as compared with 79 
pounds for the first stage. The average fill taken at Chicago was 41 
pounds, leaving a net shrinkage of 31 pounds per head for the second 
stage. The average net shrinkage for the first stage, as stated above, 
was 39 pounds. The fill taken by each shipment of cattle was very 
uniform at Chicago as well as at Staples, and the average fill at each 
place was practically the same, being 41 and 40 pounds, respectively. 
The average time in transit for the whole journey was 70 hours, and 
the total average net shrinkage per head was 70 pounds. 
The last two shipments in the table originated on the Standing 
Bock Indian Keservation at Walker, S. Dak., and were shipped to 
Chicago. These were all high-grade Hereford steers that had been 
raised in Wyoming and shipped to South Dakota for grazing. All 
were 3 and 4 year olds of good breeding and quality. They were 
shipped over the Milwaukee road in " feed and water " cars. The 
treatment each bunch of cattle received before shipping and during 
transit was the same. Several days were taken in rounding them up. 
They were herded on good grass (Buffalo grass) until time for ship- 
ping. They were cut out the day before shipping and herded the 
morning of the shipping day for five hours on grass and near water, 
and were then cut into car lots, penned, and loaded. 
The first shipment consisted of 13 carloads, or 315 head, and the 
second shipment of 8 cars, or 212 head. The weather was fine at time 
of loading and continued so until the cattle were sold. The first ship- 
ment was delayed 20 hours because of a wreck, and the cattle were 
consequently held in the cars for 76 hours. The second shipment 
made good time, being in transit but 55 hours. Each car of cattle 
.was given 2 bales of prairie hay and some water at Montevideo, Minn. 
