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Tend-R-Leen®
Tech Report
June
2009
Reducing
Shrink
Effect
On Incoming Cattle: The weight loss of cattle during
transport is commonly called shrink. There are two types of
shrink. One is exudative, which is the loss of urine and
feces. The second type of shrink is tissue loss. Tissue loss
is the loss of fluid from the cells and cattle require more
time to regain this type of shrink.
Several factors impact shrink including transit time,
transit distance, environmental conditions (weather and
transit conditions), cattle handling methods, and cattle
management including nutrition. Research indicates that the
combined effects of shipping and handling result in greater
weight loss than holding cattle off of feed and water alone.
Transit shrink in beef steers has been demonstrated to
represent as much as 68% of the shrink from the combination of
both fasting and transport.
Weight loss varies depending on the circumstances, but a
good rule of thumb estimate is that about 0.75% of cattle body
weight will be lost per day with feed and water deprivation,
and the weight loss will not necessarily be the same amount
each day. When feed and water are unavailable, study results
indicate that cattle shrink about 1% per hour for the first
three to four hours and then roughly 0.25% per hour for the
next eight to ten hours. This weight loss can increase
several-fold when transport stress is added.
The following are five factors that
affect amount of shrink:
1.
Time
2.
Distance
3.
Age
4.
Sex
5.
Type-Condition
The most critical factor is time in transit. Therefore,
truckers should deliver cattle as soon as possible.
The following are some estimates for shrink with respect to
time (Fox et al., 1985):
|
Hours
in a Moving truck
|
%Shrink
|
Days
required to Recover Payweight
|
|
1
2-8
8-16
16-24
24-32
|
2
4-6
6-8
8-10
10-12
|
0
4-8
8-16
16-24
24-30
|
Distance is included as a factor
because some people think in terms of distance rather than
time. One estimate is a 3% shrink for the first 100 miles and
.5% to 1% for each additional 100 miles.
Age, sex, and type-condition are
interrelated because the real factor is fat composition of the
animal. The fatter the cattle are, the less shrink
encountered. This is because fat contains less water than
muscle. Older cattle tend to have more fat than younger
animals. Heifers are usually fatter than steers of the same
age. Larger frame cattle have a higher lean to fat ratio than
medium frame cattle of the same age. Of course health of the
cattle will also have an effect.
Recovery
Time: The
minimum recovery time to pre-transit weights normally is about
five days. Recovery can take up to 30 days in more severe
situations. It is generally accepted that increasing transit
time exacerbates feed and water deprivation and leads to
dehydration. Emphasizing low stress cattle handling and
shipping in minimum time can benefit both buyer and seller by
reducing cattle shrink, stress, morbidity, and cost to regain
lost weight.
Economic
Impact: There
can be uncertainty in cattle weights, and this adds to the
challenge of determining a fair market price based on weight.
Weights are typically measured at a point in time. What
happens to those weights before or after those moments where
weights are recorded can vary. For instance, shrink
differences can be expected if calves are tanked up on water
or feed versus being held off of water and feed, and buyers
may recognize “overfilled” cattle. Differences in water
intake can be expected with different environmental conditions
as well. Pencil shrink is an estimated shrink used in many
marketing transactions and is a deduction from an animal’s
weight to account primarily for fill. It is frequently
expressed as a percentage of live weight, e.g., 3% for
off-pasture weights and 4% for fed cattle weights. The degree
to which the estimated shrink is accurate determines the
fairness of the price.
Preventing
Shrink: Management
strategies that have been researched in an attempt to deal
with transport stress and reduce shrink have included
preconditioning programs, rest periods during and after
transit, potassium supplementation, and use of electrolyte
solutions. Research shows that transported or feed and water
deprived cattle are challenged with a mild metabolic acidosis
which may be the result of body water loss. There is evidence
that either electrolyte solutions or water can help alleviate
this dehydration and some stress in transported cattle.
Any added stress such as overloading the truck,
unfamiliarity with confinement, or extreme temperature and
moisture conditions can increase shrink. Cattle with
temperament problems may be subject to higher levels of shrink
as well. There is new evidence from
Florida
and
North Carolina
that early-weaned calves maintained onsite before shipping
might be more tolerant of the stressors associated with
transportation and feedlot entry. Although this research
revealed no difference in shrink, there was a notable
difference in recovery of lost weight, with early-weaned and
preconditioned calves having an advantage over traditionally
weaned calves.
Summary:
You may not be able to prevent shrink in cattle
that you purchase some distance from your feedlot but the
following practices may reduce the amount of shrink and
minimize the accompanying stress (Brownson, 1973):
- Avoid
loading and moving cattle during inclement weather.
- Insure
careful and nonabusive handling is practiced at loading
and unloading.
- Inform the
cattle buyer or trucker that the cattle should arrive as
soon as possible after loading.
- Make sure
trucks and all corral equipment are in good working order.
- Provide
adequate protection during inclement weather while in
transit.
- Dry feeds
are more desirable than wet feeds for cattle prior to
shipping.
- Provide
proper space allocation to each animal.
Truck Space Requirements
For Calves
|
Average Weight
|
Number
of Calves per Running foot of truck floor
(92 inch truck width)
|
|
200 lbs
300 lbs
400 lbs
450 lbs
|
2.2
1.6
1.2
1.1
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(Grandin,
1988)
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