How environmental enrichment approaches in feedlot beef systems can improve behavioral welfare for confined cattle.
Feedlot enrichment is an underexplored area of livestock welfare where even modest investments may deliver meaningful welfare improvements for large numbers of animals. The behavioral needs of cattle are not extinguished by commercial production contexts - animals still seek social stability, physical activity, grooming opportunities, and environmental novelty. Enrichment approaches that address these needs can improve welfare indicators and potentially production outcomes simultaneously, as stress reduction generally improves feed conversion and growth performance. The relatively small body of evidence on feedlot enrichment reflects historical prioritization of production research over welfare research - an imbalance that advocacy and research funding can begin to correct.