Excerpts from the report Introduction: The Fort Worth Stockyards is the oldest terminal livestock market in the Southwest. It has been a major market for livestock for more than 60 years. A vast and complicated organization, the operation includes the stockyards itself, 29 commission firms, 80 dealers, and 2 packers with packing plants adjacent to the yards. In addition, hundreds of sellers and buyers of all types including packers patronize the market. In 1955, the Fort Worth Stockyards, and various commission firms selling livestock in the stockyards, requested that research be undertaken on the major problems of stockyards operations. The research was begun in September 1955. The research has 3 major objectives: (1) Develop plans for improved facilities, including their arrangement, design, and size, to permit greater efficiency; (2) develop improved work methods and procedures, to provide for maximum service to livestock shippers and other users of the market, and the greatest utilization of labor; and (3) measure the effects of the improved facilities and procedures against the present efficiency of the market.