When selling calves shrink is a concern because it is a reduction in the sales weight, but abnormal levels of shrink is often used as a health indicator for cattle arriving in receiving facilities at stocker operations, grow yards, and feedlots. Adjustments in price are common to compensate for varying shrinkage and gut fill.
Shrink is often characterized in two categories; fill shrink and tissue shrink. Fill shrink is the loss of excreta from the digestive system. This type of shrink is common in marketing and can be recovered quickly in a few days once cattle are back on feed and…
