Feedlot cattle are finished on high-energy grain diets in confined outdoor pens before slaughter. Welfare challenges include respiratory disease, liver abscesses, heat stress, and limited behavioural opportunity.
Feedlot welfare is affected by both the production system structure and management quality. Bovine respiratory disease causes painful pneumonia that, when not detected early, progresses to severe illness and death. The rapid diet transition from pasture to high-grain rations frequently causes digestive discomfort and acidosis. Heat stress in pens without adequate shade causes physiological strain, particularly for dark-coated cattle and in humid climates. The social dynamics of mixed feedlot pens can cause aggression and stress during the adaptation period. On the positive side, feedlot cattle typically receive close veterinary monitoring, and early disease detection in well-managed operations is often better than in extensive pasture systems. The overall welfare outcome depends heavily on management quality and whether basic provisions like shade, clean water, and prompt treatment are consistently provided.