Cattle & Cattle Car

[WGL]

 I searched the Forum & got only one reference to cattle.  Has anyone a method, other than gluing them to the floor, of putting HO cattle into a cattle car so that they remain standing?

[Yampa Bob]

Just pack them into the car tight enough so they can't fall down. Once loaded, cows will often orient themselves head to head in the middle, with their rear ends toward the sides of the car.  For realism put down some "bedding" of straw or sawdust.

It might also help if you glued the cows to small flat pieces of styrene for bases.

NOTE: Never walk close by a loaded cattle car, or you will be painted "green". 

[pdlethbridge]

Sounds like a man speaking from experience

[Yampa Bob]

We used to haul cattle in stake body trucks, lots of fun to pull up beside a convertible or someone on a motorcycle at a stop light.  Grass plus gas, equals lots of pressure. 

[grumpy]

Don't drive on the road after the cattle have been driven on it unless you have 4 wheel drive and you own shares in a carwash.
Don

[WGL]

 Thanks, Bob.  The floor of my car has two levels: where the weights are & the space left by the doors.  There is a plastic hump about 1/2" in diameter in the floor at each end, into which the trucks are screwed, making placing cattle more difficult. 
  As a rancher, perhaps you can tell me about how many cattle are carried in a 40' cattle car.  Are they packed like sardines or allowed some space in which to move?
  I'm glad to forego realistic details of methane & manure production!

[Yampa Bob]

The number depends on the size and weight of the cow. We just packed them until we could barely close the gate. They need to be comfortable, but not free to move around. In fact the tighter they are, within reason, the better they make the trip.

We always "dry lotted" (no feed or water) our cows for 12 hours before shipping by truck, and they often didn't get fed or watered for another 18-24 hours until they reached their destination.  They all arrived healthy (and clean), we never lost a cow in transit.

It is actually inhumane to stuff cows with hay and water then shove them onto a cattle car or truck. They slosh around, get sick and often die.

[pdlethbridge]

like me in a elevator

[SteamGene]

Is that why we haven't seen you on a menu?
Gene