Beef feedlot systems intensively finish cattle for slaughter, creating welfare challenges around space, social mixing, respiratory disease, and handling that require careful management.
Feedlot systems create welfare challenges that are partly inherent to the model. Mixing unfamiliar cattle during placement causes social stress and fighting. The transition from high-forage to high-concentrate diets causes digestive adaptation that can be uncomfortable and leads to conditions like acidosis and liver abscesses. Respiratory disease causes significant suffering in a proportion of placed cattle. Restricted space prevents full expression of normal behavior. However, feedlot operators can substantially reduce welfare harms through good respiratory disease management, low-stress handling, shade provision, and appropriate dietary transition management.