The arrival and receiving phase in feedlots is a critical welfare period - stress from mixing, transport fatigue, and novel environments requires careful management.
Feedlot receiving welfare sets the foundation for the entire finishing period. Transport-stressed cattle with compromised immune function who arrive into noisy, unfamiliar environments with poor receiving management develop higher rates of BRD, require more antibiotic treatment, and have worse welfare throughout finishing. Welfare-positive receiving protocols - quiet facilities, clean water immediately, access to hay before concentrate feed, minimal mixing stress, and low-stress handling - reduce disease incidence and antibiotic use while improving welfare. Temple Grandin's low-stress handling systems represent an accessible welfare improvement that also reduces production losses.