SHRINKAGE OF WEIGHT OF BEEF CATTLE IX TRANSIT. 73 
preparing cattle for shipping. This is natural, for conditions are 
such that it is much easier for him to do this: then. too. his stock is 
more valuable per pound than grass cattle, and the increased shrink- 
age on them entails a greater financial loss. 
The feeders of beet-pulp cattle have made a closer study of the 
shrinkage of their stock than any other class of feeders. This is 
probably because the operators of sugar mills feed large numbers of 
cattle and can therefore be better equipped to do the weighing. It 
must be conceded, however, that usually they are more progressive 
than the average farmer or stockman. The cattle fed on beet pulp 
were always taken off the pulp ration about 24 hours previous to 
shipping and put on a dry ration of hay and grain. This always 
caused a shrinkage in weight, varying from a small amount to as 
high as G8 pounds per head. This shrinkage for the day before 
shipping naturally decreased the shrinkage which the cattle would 
undergo while in the cars. Even then, however, the shrinkage in 
transit on the, pulp cattle was always large. 
Feeders who finish their cattle on silage follow practically the same 
plan in regard to giving the cattle dry hay or fodder for the 24 
hours preceding shipment. It is not uncommon, also, for the water 
to be cut off from the silage-fed cattle for about 12 hours before 
loading. This naturally causes the cattle to undergo a shrinkage just 
previous to shipping and thus favors a smaller shrinkage in transit. 
Table 29 follows, showing a general summary of all the shrinkage 
work recorded in this bulletin. 
Taele 20. — General summary of three years' shrinkage work. 
Class. 
Num- 
ber of 
ship- 
ments. 
Num- 
ber of 
cattle. 
Aver- 
age 
weight 
at 
origin. 
Gross 
shrinkage. 
Fill at market. 
Net shrinkage. 
Ratio 
of 
shrink- 
age to 
live 
weight 
at 
origin. 
Range. 
Aver- 
age. 
Range. 
Aver- 
age. 
Range. 
Aver- 
age. 
Range steers in transit 
Lbs. 
Pounds. 
Lbs. 
Pounds. 
Lbs. 
Pounds. 
Lbs. 
Pa ct. 
less than 36 hours 
2 
197 
794 
19- 55 
29 
3.65 
Range steers in transit 
36 to 72 hours 
8 
882 
1,186 
57-124 
89 
13-41 
25 
26- 83 
64 
5.40 
Range steers in transit 
over 72 hours 
2 
169 
1,116 
85- 99 
88 
2-36 
27 
49- 97 
61 
5.47 
Range cows in transit 
less than 24 hours 
15 
1,724 
838 
33-105 
60 
5-88 
30 
i+12- 60 
30 
3.58 
Range cows in transit 
24 to 36 hours 
21 
1,551 
896 
38-129 
70 
9-70 
39 
1+5-64 
31 
3.46 
Range cows in transit 
36 to 72 hours 
4 
275 
1, 034 
90-110 
96 
36-56 
46 
34- 72 
50 
4.84 
B.ange cows in transit 
3.96 
over 72 hours 
3 
m 
1,010 
49- 85 
70 
28-35 
30 
21- 56 
40 
Mixed range cattle in 
transit less than 24 
21 
1,511 
700 
19- 84 
37 
1-56 
22 
i+12- 71 
15 
2.14 
Mixed range cattle in 
18 
6.37 
transit 24 to 36 hours . 
17 
872 
848 
27-118 
72 
2 -8-55 
19-114 
54 
i The plus sign ( + ) indicates a gain in weight instead of a shrinkage. Attention is called to the 16 ship- 
ments of range calves, wherein the ratio of shrinkage to live weight (last column of table) is unduly low, 
because the great majority (13) of the shipments occurred in 1910, the droughty year. The 3 shipments 
in 1911, the normal vear, gave a ratio of 4.9 per cent. 
a The minus sign ( — ) indicates a loss in weight instead of a fill. 
