The Dickinson press., 1914-01-24
BEEF CATTLE IN TRANSIT
u FROM DICKINSON YARDS

FROM DICKINSON YARDS
- - ~
The shrinkage Of animals depend to
a large extent upon their< treatment
prior to loading at the point of origin.
If they have had plenty Of feed and
water before being loaded they will
show rather large shrinkage, whereas
a. shipment which has had rough sreat-
ment and no feed or water before load
ing may be SO empty when loaded that
the fill taken at market may overcome
the shrinkage in transit. OF course, in
case of this kind the shrinkage Of the
animals occi1fred on the trail, and they
were in abnormal condition when first
weiehed. ii -. = s.l. IKE. Il
An illustration of the above was
found in two shipments of cattle origi-
mating at Dickinson, N. D. on October
18th, 1911. s4,1.G e@ - 81. s.
One shipment Of 2S head Of mixed
cattle was driven svers slowly for is
miles to the loading pens.y They were
dritfed along, grazing as they went,
and arrived. at the loading pens with
medium fill and looking perfectly
fresh, as if they had not been, driven
more than a mile. The other shipment
of 81 head Of similar cattle was rounded
up and driven 20 miles without. water
and held over night and next morning
without food or water. They were very.
empty when loaded and certainly looked
bad. showing the kind Of treatment they
had received. After the fill at market
they were pounds heavier than when
weighed at the loading pens. Both
shipments weresent to South St. Paul
and received similar treatment after
being loaded.
The treatment of these two lots of
cattle had been such as to cause the
shrinkage of the second shipment to
ftake place during the drive from the
ranch to the loading pens, whereas the
first arrived at the pen in normal con-
dition and consequently shrank in tram
sit. The first shipment showed a loss
in weight Of rs pounds per head but
looked we'll at market, while the other
showed a gain Of pounds in weight
but looked ragged. This difference in
the appearance of the olots Of cattle
caused ayariation in price in favor sof
| the first shipment, which far more than
Offset the difference Id shrinkaee, to
say nothing of the loss on the second
shipment during the trail to the loading
point. -5s,* .s3 52,s
There has been less complaint about
shrinkage in the Northwest than in the
Southwest for several reasons. The
facilities for shipping are usually
better, the cattle trains make fastel
time and the facilities for feeding and
watering the cattle at points in transit
are better. The Northern Pacific road
is to be especially commended for the
facilities for. unloading and feeding
stock at their new yards at Staples
MINI. Forty cars can be spotted fol
unloading at one time. and the cattl,
can be very quickly unloaded ant
penned with food and water before them
The manager of the yards is advised b!
wire of the number of cars to be fe.
| there, and food and water are in tn,
pens when the cattle arrive, so there. il
no delay in allowing the cattle to fill
The yards are equipped with open an,
covered pens. the latter to be used il
case Of bad weather. The pens ar
away from the town. where the animal
can be, absolutely quiet and not dis
turbed until reloading time. Il is Z
be noted that cattle unloaded at thi
point invariably took q good fill an
had quietrest which enabled them t
stand the remainder 'of the Journey |
!, ST; Paul Of Chicago well.
Farmers or stock growers interested ]
!. this subject can probably secure cop
Of this bulletin, which contains othe
valuable information, from the u S
Department Of Agriculture, Washington
n D. c. Is5 |: s.s;
anInelRV bl EAnS nBlll nv