What are beef feedlots?
What are beef feedlots?
Feedlots are used in beef production to ensure cattle reach a specific weight before slaughter and to provide consistent meat quality and quantity to meet consumer demand. Feedlots may also be used during poor seasonal conditions (e.g. drought) to feed animals so they can still reach market weight.
What is the largest cattle feedlot in the US?
Share: With more than 900,000-head across eleven US locations, Five Rivers Cattle, LLC. is the world’s largest cattle feeder. Kersey, Colorado is home to the Kuner Feedlot, which currently houses up to 100,000-head on the 400 acre feedyard area.
How do cattle feedlots work?
The basic principle of the feedlot is to increase the amount of fat gained by each animal as quickly as possible; if animals are kept in confined quarters rather than being allowed to range freely over grassland, they will gain weight more quickly and efficiently with the added benefit of economies of scale.
Are feedlots cruel?
While feedlots may provide more space for cows to roam, they can also cause other, potentially negative animal welfare outcomes. The main factors contributing to heat stress are a lack of shade, excessive weight brought on by being fed increasingly heavy diets, and cows with black hides.
How many cattle feedlots are in Texas?
2.5 million feedlot cattle
Today, nearly 90 percent of Texas’ 2.5 million feedlot cattle are raised in just 10 Panhandle counties radiating out from Amarillo. Five Rivers, the world’s biggest cattle feeder, has set up shop here, along with Cargill and Cactus Feeders, which owns 11 area feedlots, including the one south of the Brorman home.
What are three challenges facing beef production?
Top 10 issues facing beef producers
- Expansion Challenges: Herd expansion, or at least pasture restocking, will likely slow but won’t stop.
- Cyclically Lower Prices:
- Input Volatility:
- Continued Economic Volatility:
- Animal Health:
- Consumer, Retailer Perceptions:
- Political Uncertainty:
- Veterinary Feed Directive:
