fewdaysearlier,theeffectisstillworse.Veterinaryexperts
recommendthat,simplyinordertoimprovetheirprospectsof
surviving, young calves should be weaned, castrated, and
vaccinated at least thirty days prior to being transported.
This gives them a chance to recover from one stressful
experience before being subjected to another. These
recommendations, however, are not always followed.^132
Althoughtheanimalscannotdescribetheirexperiences,the
reactions of their bodies tell ussomething. There are two
mainreactions:“shrinkage”and“shippingfever.”Allanimals
loseweightduringtransportation.Someofthisweightlossis
dueto dehydrationandtheemptyingoftheintestinaltract.
Thislossiseasilyregained;butmorelastinglossesarealso
therule. Foran eight-hundred-pound steer to lose seventy
pounds,or 9 percent ofhisweight,on a singletripisnot
unusual;anditmaytakemorethanthreeweeksfortheanimal
torecovertheloss.This“shrink,”asitisknowninthetrade,
isregarded byresearchersas anindication ofthestressto
whichtheanimalhasbeensubjected.Shrinkis,ofcourse,a
worryto themeat industry, since animals aresold by the
pound.
“Shippingfever,”aformofpneumoniathatstrikescattleafter
theyhavebeentransported, istheothermajorindicator of
stressintransportation.Shipping feverisassociated witha
virusthathealthycattlehavenodifficultyinresisting;severe
stress, however, weakens their resistance.
Shrinkageandsusceptibilitytofeverareindicationsthatthe
animals have been subjected to extreme stress; but the
animalswhoshrinkandgetshippingfeveraretheoneswho
survive.Othersdiebeforereachingtheirdestination,orarrive