78 BULLETIN 25, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
lance and arrived at market during the night usually did not fill 
well. If they arrived the afternoon before or about daylight of the 
sale day, they generally took a good fill. 
(h) The climatic conditions at the market. 
2. An exceedingly large fill at market is not desired, as it will de- 
tract from the selling price. 
3. The shrinkage on calves may seem small, but under normal con- 
ditions it holds about the same proportion to their weight as is found 
with grown cattle. 
4. The difference between the shrinkage of cows and steers is not 
as great as is ordinarily supposed. Steers will usually shrink some- 
what less than cows of the same weight. 
5. The shrinkage during the first 24 hours is greater proportion- 
ately than for any succeeding period of the same duration. 
6. The shrinkage of cattle was found to vary in direct proportion 
to their live weight when conditions were the same and all other 
factors were equal. 
7. The shrinkage of range cattle in transit over 70 hours during 
a normal year is from 5 to 6 per cent of their live weight. If they 
are in transit 36 hours or less the shrinkage will range from 3 to 4 
per cent of their live weight. 
8. The shrinkage of fed cattle does not differ greatly from that of 
range cattle for equal periods of time. It varied from about 3 per 
cent with all of the silage-fecl cattle and 4.2 per cent with the corn- 
fed cattle, when both classes of these animals were in transit for less 
than 36 hours, to 5.4 per cent for the pulp-fed cattle which were in 
transit from 60 to 120 hours. 
9. Cattle fed on silage have a large gross shrinkage but usually 
fill so well at market that the net shrinkage is small. 
10. Pulp-fed cattle shrink more in transit than any other class of 
cattle, and also present a greater net shrinkage. 
11. The shrinkage on cattle is proportionately smaller for each 12 
hours they are in transit after the first 24-hour period is passed. 
This is shown very clearly in Table 29, which presents a general sum- 
mary of the work. 
12. For a long journey the common method of unloading for feed, 
water, and rest is to be preferred to the use of " feed and water " cars. 
13. Cattle should be weighed before being loaded wherever practi- 
cable, since a comparison of this weight with the sale weight will 
show the net shrinkage. Moreover this weight at point of origin 
may be of material benefit to the shipper in case of a wreck or a 
very poor run to market. 
o 
