For millions of years, as the result of natural selection, ruminants developed the capability to obtain the greatest part of the energy necessary to reproduce and maintain vital function by ruminal microbial fermentation.

Since 2002, when Dr. David Barker and colleagues proposed the hypothesis of maternal nutrition impacting post-natal characteristics, animal scientists have started to take a closer look into this area.

A feedlot has technology with numerous advantages for beef cattle production, with greater management costs and faster weight gains when compared to an extensive system.