Shrink is the weight cattle lose in transit, and on a long haul it comes straight out of the pay weight. Time off feed and water is the biggest driver — it climbs fast in the first few hours, then flattens out.

What you can actually control

Handling at loading, how long they stand before they roll, and heat. A calm load-out and a straight run will cost you less than a rough one, every time.

Run the numbers before you agree a pay weight — our free shrink calculator estimates it by class, distance, and conditions.