Feedlot Facts

My Meats Quiz Bowl Team and our Coach

Today's post is going to be pretty short as I have been on the road home to visit my mom for Mother's day and to be here for my sister's graduation form Junior College.

Most consumers don't understand feedlots.  Their picture of a feedlot is a giant, mud and feces-filled pen where cattle are crowded together and force-fed corn with no room to lay down comfortably or exercise. 

I had the opportunity to visit some feedlots in west Texas a couple of summers ago when I was attending the Reciprocal Meats Conference at Texas Tech University.  This was my first time to ever actually see a feedlot, and even though I had read and learned a lot about them, I was still in awe of the shear size of these operations.  And even I, an Animal Scientist was surprised at how much room these cattle had to exercise, lay down, and socialize.  A feedlot is an amazing, economical, well thought-out machine.  These operations find new and innovative ways to supply the US and a lot of the world with a safe, healthy, and flavorful red-meat protein source.

The Feedlot Finishing fact sheet published by The National Cattlemen's Beef Association which you can find HERE is a GREAT quick and dirty reference to help you, or others understand about what a feedlot is and what it does.  I hope that you check the fact sheet out and find it useful in helping you BRIDGE THE GAP!