The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-29
SHIPPING cows.
Suggestions at to Handling Dairy Ami
mails in Transit.

mas III AtaHaiA.
The following information as TO hand
ling COWS in transit was obtained by |
representative of the United States de
partment Of agriculture from severa
prominent shippers, each OF whom han
dies annually from $500 TO 1000 head o.
cattle.
% Do not ship fresh cows long dis
tances unless in express cars under par
ticularly favorable conditions. The ex
pense involved naturally limits such OPP
erations To valuable purebred individ
mails. Time and time again. as n result
OF being shipped shortly after freshen.
ing or so as to calve In transit, fresh
cows have been ruined so far as the next
lactation has been concerned.
t2l Milk cows OF grade breeding usual
ly are shipped by freight, and the ex.
perienced shipper selects only dry cows
and far springers" for long shipment.
Heifers which have never dropped calves
and which are not due TO freshen until
three or four weeks after arrival at des-
tination make good buys" as they are
of size and condition which permits
OF loading the car to capacity. Further.
more, immature animals are less suscep-
tible to injury in transit and To damage
as result of marked change OF en-
yironment.
(3) II possible, ship only animals
without horns. In case horned animals
are shipped they should be tied securely
or penned off in one end of the car TO
preclude the possibility of injuring 9TH
er animals during the trip.
a. Similarly, when bulls are shipped
in mixed loads, they should be securely
penned apart from the females.
90 Other conditions being equal, it is
advisable to load a car TO capacity, as
the animals travel better where there is
a minimum of space in which to move
about.
90 So far as possible, the stock
should be shipped during cool weather, as
cows handled during hot weather are LA
BILE to shrink in milk flow during the sue
cessive laetation period as consequence
of such trip.
a. Special precaution must be exer-
cised in shipping cows during cold wealth
er, to avoid exposure which will favor
the contraction of pneumonia, usually q
fatal disease among mature cattle. AT
best ii takes an animal about year to
become thoroughly acclimated to a
warmer or colder climate, and on that
account the movement should take place
when the temperature of the two points |
is as nearly similar as possible.
49, Dairy cows should be handled un-
der normal conditions before and during |
The trip. They should be fed and wat
cred at regular intervals; and if any Of |
he animals are in milk, they should be
MIXED en- schedule. 1t pays to feed en-
,ilage and hay during shipments if the
'ows are accustomed to these roughages,
simple provision for the feeding OF these
can be made by stretching
mall-mesh hog wire along the side walls
md ceiling so as to form a wedge shaped
Junk which can be filled with hay and
nsilage in proportion to the appetite of
he cattle. Grain is a difficult material
o feed in transit in freight car where
10 special provisions are made to pre-
ent wastage as a result of the tendency
4 the animals tc move about when not
astened in place. In long trips grain
nay be carried in the car and fed at
he points where the stock is unloaded.
(9l A competent attendant always
hould accompany the load of dairy
ows. He should ride in the ear with
he stock, as often he can avert injury to
he animal in case it gets down. II
tl0l Several large barrels of water as
ell as plenty of feed should be carried
! the car as protection against delay |
r accident which may obtain on the
ain and leave the animals hungry or
lirsty for excessive periods. n
ll Sand or einders constitute the
1. i Il
Ups fresh supplies of those materials
lould be placed in the car at unloading
oints in case they are needed.
tl2l In view of the high price of dairy
'ws at the present time it is impera-
We that every stoekman exert all eff
rts to make for COW comfort in transit
I'd to move the animals with mini
UNI of loss as result of carelessness,
ok of attention, and inexperience in
e cow-shipping business.