SHRINKAGE OF WEIGHT OF BEEF CATTLE IN TRANSIT. 
67 
The average shrinkage per head on the mixed cattle from Odessa 
that were in transit less than 24 hours was 28 pounds. There were 
573 head of these cattle shown in Table 25. A comparison of these 
with the shipments of Table 26 discloses the fact that the cattle in 
transit 29 hours shrank 12 pounds more than those in transit less 
than 24 hours. As all of them should have made the trip within the 
24-hour limit, the excess shrinkage of 12 pounds per head may be 
attributed to the poor or slow transportation. 
RANGE CALVES IN TRANSIT TO MARKET. 
The shrinkage on calves has been found to be more uniform than 
on any other class of cattle shipped. Regardless of the weather, 
grazing, and other factors which seriously affect the shrinkage on 
large cattle, the variation in the shrinkage of calves is small. This 
is because the cows are always driven to the loading pens with the 
calves, and the calves stay with their mothers until time to cut them 
out to load. Their fill therefore is of milk, which is usually small 
in amount, and the subsequent shrinkage is likewise small. The fill 
at market also is not large, being but a few pounds as a rule, hence 
the uniformity in the results obtained. 
On the 211 calves in Table 27 there is a shrinkage of 11 to 13 
pounds for the different shipments. This gave an average of 12 
pounds, or 4.8 per cent of their live weight. It is seen, therefore, 
that while the shrinkage is small it is uniform and in about the 
same proportion to the weight of the animals as with grown cattle. 
Table 27. — Range calves in transit less than 36 hour*. 
Is um- 
ber 
of 
head. 
Point of origin. 
Tim9 
in 
transit. 
Aver- 
age 
weight 
at 
point 
of 
origin. 
Aver- 
age 
weight 
at des- 
tination 
after 
fill. 
Aver- 
age 
net 
shrink- 
age. 
Remarks. 
73 
73 
65 
Odessa, Tex 
do 
Colorado, Tex 
Grand average 
Hours. 
21 
I9i 
Pounds. 
216 
253 
271 
Pounds. 
205 
240 
260 
Pounds. 
11 
13 
11 
Driven 7 miles. Loaded without feed 
or water. 
Driven 11 miles in 2 days. Stayed with 
cows until loaded. 
23 
246 
234 
12 
SUMMARY. 
In Table 28 is presented a summary of the work of 1911. About 
5,000 animals were weighed in securing these data. The grazing 
season of 1911 was about the aA^erage for good years, or a little better 
than the average when all years are considered. The results secured 
