Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-09
SHIPPING CATTLE TO MARKET.
When and How to Do 1t to
Advantage-SOme Valuable
observations.

of the Kansas board of agriculture de-
voted to THE Beef Steer Secretary r. u.
Coburn aimed to not only secure the
views of those who are masters IN peer
production. but also to avail himself OK
observations by others, among them those
who deal with the stock when 1t reaches
the market. None have a keener eye Tor
the merits and defects Of the beer animal
as to his individual quality, condition n
the treatment given him at home and on
receive, care for and sell Ill TO the
slaughterer or shipper. From the counsel
given by one of the most extensive i've
stock commission firms the following ex-
cellent advice for every feeder and shipper
Is given, and Is the result of very ex-
1snsvVe s,S SHpg fr tba f aaq n Maue a Var large ma
jority of the feeders make a mistake In
holding fat cattle that are ready for mar
ket; for instance, a man is feeding 1W TO
$50 head of steers. and there are. say. one
half or two-thirdS of the cattle that are
fat and could be shipped at any time.
Very few men will ship them out. for the
ready, and they hold on to the good ones
until the entire bunch is ready. We are
continually advising our customers to ship
out all fat cattle as fast as ready. By
doing so they divide their risk. The cattle
that are left have a better chance to i'm
prove, and there is more profit to be made
gin there is in keeping matured steers, as
this class of cattle make little gain COM
pared with habitat steers. Another mis-.
grass. We have had a number of instances
where our customers have shipped cattle
that were fed on the grass without put
ting them in a dry lot for a day or two
before shipping and feeding nothing but
corn. oats. and hay. and, by not doing SO.
the cattle on arrival look Grassy, their
double what they would II handled in the
proper way. and they don't sell within 10
to 10 cents per hundred (and In some cases
V,oraA ~ - thaf nra nnf IN a dry n
and fed nothing but corn. hay and oats
for a short time before shipment. Over
loading is q. very bad feature. but we
might add that we are not troubled as
much in this respect as we were before the
charge of freight by cents per 100 pounds
became established. A little advice on this
customers frequently who overload their
cattle, and. as a result, they make an ex-
ira shrinkage; they do not look as well
fects the sale fully 10 cents per hundred
pounds; this means a direct loss to the
shipper of 10 cents per hundred. and the
item. that could be saved with proper man
agement.
The best investment a shipper ever made
cars. This is a point which should be well
looked after. as 1t means a big saving from
loss Of possibly dead or crippled cattle,
other point that could be well covered
would be, where parties are shipping stock,
to classify it as much as possible. In this
way the cars are more evenly loaded, the
stock ships much better. and it also saves
considerable delay upon arrival here. The
work of sorting and shaping stock at this
end is a very mall item. but, by classify
economy OF time at the market Cattle
handle better If they do not get too much
water just. before shipment. The golden
rule in shipping all kinds Of cattle is to
get them as quickly as possible from range,
ranch. farm or feedyard to market. Nota-
bly, is this the case with rangers 1t has
bullock shrinks every hour after he leaves
his native haunts. It stands to reason
that all cattle will do SO: but natives do
bruised as the former.
Grass cattle, as a rule. do not ship well.
On the pasture they look well. and many
a buyer has been deceived by the appear
ance of a drove Of steers in q grass field
with full bite. To ship such cattle is a
hard task. and is invariably disappoint-
venient. it is a good plan to place such
cattle in a pen and feed them hay for a
day or two. The secret of shipping all
cars full of feed. but with as little moist
ure as possible. If you ship a steer full Of
water he is apt to have loose bowels and
handled cattle should arrive in the sale
pens dry behind and ready for a good fill
OF water; not over-thirsty. but in good
shippers think that by sailing their cattle,
or feeding them oats, or by other schem-
ing. they can fool the buyers. This is nom
the owners. and While MANY many Of them sa ss
nothing. you often see them ride into a
pen and out again without the courtesy
we have seen this happen. 1t always acts
against the shipper to use unnatural
means: To Eastern buyers it is a matter Of
good condition when purchased. SO as to
stand further shipment. When cattle drink
too freely they are apt to founder and
break down. In this condition the dressed
beef men can use them, but its stops COM
petition, and as a natural consequence cat
tie often go below their value when in this
condition.
The same rule applies to granted cat
tie, whether in pasture or dry lot. as to
the above: Only they are much more easily
handled IN and do not show
stances. As to feed on the road. nothing
equals good, sweet hay. 1t beats corn or
other 9TH raggrrssi grains: because It is easily digested.
methods and simple feed are the best tina
can be used. As to water on the road, 1t
Is a matter to be decided on according
to the weather. In midsummer care must
be taken TO supply animal wants. whereas,
in winter a steer can go for many hours
without a drink. Good management in this
line also calls for the arrival of stock at
the yards in proper time. From 5 to 8
n. m. Is the best time In the day to appear
upon the scene-the nearer the latter hour
LIT " SattASs SlSNiai olN dN y lOOh
better when they are taken off the cars and
have just been fed and watered. Then they
have a bloom upon them which wears Off
very quickly.
Many feeders would be saved both dis
appointment and loss II before sending in
cattle to market they would notify their
commission house what and when they are
going to ship. Then. if the commission
merchant thinks the stock would be bene-
fitted by longer feeding, or that the pros
pect is unfavorable for the time the feeder
expected to a his cattle in. he can so
advise his client. and thus save him from
sacrificing his stock or getting in at a
wrong time. Especially is this important
in November or the beginning of winter,
when we are getting habitat cattle that
ought to have been held back thirty or
of these look all right in the feed lot and
appear to have good finish. but not having
matured or ripened they practically ego
to pieces on the cars. and In addition 10
loss through heavy shrinkage the owner
has to accept a low price on the market.
We wish every stockman would follow out
this plan of giving notice a day or so
ahead OF the time he expects to ship.
1t works both to the advantage of the
shipper and seller. The latter. being on
the market every day. knows Just what
the market wants and can yudge pretty
closely of near prospects. He is thus able
to give his client the necessary advice and
information he should nave before he
sends in his stock.
NO FINER TRAIN RUNS out of KAN
ROUTE compiete NEW Ell for chi,
CAGO. New Dining Car service; flush yes-
thule on every car.