SHRINKAGE OF WEIGHT OF BEEF CATTLE IK TRANSIT. 55 
As these cattle were fed and watered in the cars and were not un- 
loaded, the shrinkage for the first 36 hours could not be secured. The 
first shipment had a net shrinkage per head of 72 pounds, and the 
second shipment shrank 67 pounds per head. The average shrink- 
age on the two shipments for the whole journey was 70 pounds. 
It is of interest to note that all the five shipments in the table were 
shipped under the same conditions, except that the first three were 
unloaded for feed and water, whereas the last two were fed and 
watered in the cars ; and the shrinkage was exactly the same in each 
case. The steers in the last lot from Walker, 8: Dak,, were a little 
lighter in weight and were in transit a few hours less, which would 
give them a little advantage over the other lot. 
Notwithstanding^the fact that the shrinkage by the two methods 
of shipping may be the same, the cattle that are rushed through on a 
long journey in the feed and water cars will naturally look more 
jaded when they reach the market, "because they do not have the same 
chance to rest while in transit. 
The first three shipments of Table 20 lost 5.5 per cent and the last 
two shipments 6.3 per cent of their live weight in transit to market. 
The average for all the steers shows a shrinkage of 5.9 per cent of 
their live weight. 
Table 20. — Range steers in transit over 36 hours. 
Num- 
ber 
of 
head. 
Point of origin. 
Time 
in 
transit, 
first 
period. 
Aver- 
age 
weight 
at point 
of 
ongm. 
Shrinkage, 
first period. 
Aver- 
age 
fill, 
first 
period. 
Time 
in 
transit, 
second 
period. 
Shrinkage, 
second period. 
Before 
fill. 
After 
fill. 
Before 
fill. 
After 
fill. 
115 
43 
42 
315 
212 
do 
Walker, S. Dak 
Hours. 
35 
35 
32 
Pounds. 
1,226 
1,307 
1,420 
1,176 
1,132 
Paunds. 
70 
86 
96 
Fed an 
Pounds. 
31 
47 
54 
d watere 
Pounds. 
39 
39 
42 
d in ears 
Hours. 
36 
35 
35 
Pounds. 
75 
77 
55 
Pounds. 
34 
36 
15 
do 
do 
Grand average . . , 

34 
79 
39 
40 
72 
31 

Num- 
ber 
of 
head. 
Point of origin. 
Fill at 
market. 
Total 
time 
in 
transit. 
Total 
shrinkage. 
Remarks. 
Before 
fill. 
After 
fill. 
115 
46 
42 
315 
212 
do 
Glendive, Mont 
Walker, S. Dak 
Pounds. 
41 
41 
40 
Hours. 
71 
70 
67 
76 
55 
Pounds. 
106 
124 
109 
Pounds. 
65 
83 
69 
72 
67 
Drifted 18 miles in 2 days. 
Medium fill. 
Handled same as the 115 head. 
These were larger and coarser 
steers. 
Were drifted 8 miles. Fed bright 
hay night before and morning 
of shipping. 
Were drifted 42 miles. Grazing 
fine. Only medium fill. 
Do. 
do. 
Grand average i 
41 | 68 
70 
1 These averages are for the first three shipments in the table, excepting total time in transit and total net 
shrink. 
