Feedlot

The heat is on: The hidden damage heat stress causes in feedlot cattle

Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

What are the hidden effects of heat stress on animals, what threats does it pose to the sustainability of the U.S. meat industry and what can be done to mitigate these effects?

Starting strong: Early-life management as cattle stay on feed longer

abby@agproud.com — Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

By the time today’s cattle leave the feedyard, they are heavier and have been there longer than ever before. This shift has created new opportunities for efficiency and carcass value. Today, the success of feeding cattle can be largely determined long before the animal ever sees a bunk.

Why can’t we avoid the 21-day shot show?

bnellison@aol.com — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

We all know the drill. Inbound calves arrive and we might treat a random animal that arrived ill. Then things are pretty calm … until about day 21. Then it all breaks loose. Animals that had escaped scrutiny suddenly appear quite ill, or worse, at death’s door.

Precision at the arrival gate: Tailoring receiving protocols for specific populations

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Beef-on-dairy cattle and native beef animals often require different health and nutrition protocols when entering the feedlot. Knowing your cattle and their source can prevent a lot of headaches when in receiving and feeding.

New safety training resources for cattle feed industry

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Agriculture has been one of the most dangerous industries for decades. That's why a team of researchers and safety experts have developed the Feedyard 15 Program, a free safety training curriculum available for cattle feedyard operations.

Optimizing health in beef cattle receiving programs

grec@novonesis.com — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The journey from pasture to plate is fraught with challenges, particularly during the initial receiving period when cattle are most vulnerable. The receiving phase, typically encompassing the first 45 days after cattle arrive at a feedlot, is critical for ensuring their health, well-being and subsequent productivity.

Special considerations for younger calves entering the feedlot

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Today’s beef industry is moving through uncharted territory. Record prices are being recorded for finished animals, weaned calf dollar amounts have never been higher, and more younger calves are entering feedlots than ever before.

Steps to halt zoonotic disease transmission

aaron.yoder@unmc.edu — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Zoonotic diseases – also known as zoonoses – are caused by germs that spread between animals and people. No matter where people come into contact with animals, harmful germs are sometimes carried by animals.

Creating a culture of safety in your feedyard

aramos@unmc.edu — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Safety is important. We all know that, but cattle feedyards can be dangerous places to work. In addition to working with cattle, which can be unpredictable, workers use horses and tractors; machinery in the feed mill; trucks, all-terrain and utility-task vehicles and other vehicles; and are exposed to challenging weather conditions.

Implanting before the feedyard and why it pays

levi.mcphillips@gplc-inc.com — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Depending on who you talk to, attitudes toward the use of implants in beef cattle production are very different. Most finishing yards are using implants today unless cattle are enrolled in a non-implant, natural or organic program that prohibits their use.

Opportunities and obstacles for Brahman steers on pasture and in feedlot

m-rouquette@tamu.edu — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 13:02:19 -0400

Efficiency of production, quality of product and sustainability are the intuitive goals of the cattle industry. Producers and consumers alike are interested in the economy of scale and acceptance of beef.

Feedlot efficiency and safety: Prioritizing cattle welfare and operational excellence

evan.matthews@arrowquip.com — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Feedlots must adopt innovative strategies to maintain their competitive edge while upholding the highest standards of animal welfare.

Addressing risks and language barriers for immigrant feedyard workers

aaron.yoder@unmc.edu — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 11:47:13 -0400

Studies have also determined that some 50% of feedyard workers are Latino. Combining the inherent risks of a feedyard with a language barrier that significantly hampers communication can set the stage for serious incidents and injuries.

4 ways to optimize efficiency on feedlots

morgyn.isaac@arrowquip.com — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 16:10:59 -0400

As the population continues to grow, the demands of consumers and the workload on ranchers and feedlot operations also increase. It is critical now, more than ever, to save time and streamline expenses to keep your operation as efficient as possible.

A good start leads to a healthy, strong finish

cbelknap@diamondv.com — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 22:31:21 -0400

It’s that time of year when many producers will begin weaning calves, and new cattle will be entering stocker and feedlot operations. During this stretch, stress is the number one issue that will influence health and performance.

Alternatives to conventional feeding and nutritional management tools

sblez@verizon.net — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 12:59:19 -0400

Since man began keeping and managing animals for production of milk, meat, fiber, etc., he has continuously searched for better, more productive and profitable means of doing so.

Managing nutrition and stress in newly weaned calves

levi.mcphillips@gplc-inc.com — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 12:13:22 -0400

Fall is a busy time in the cattle business. For the rancher and cow-calf producer, it is the time to reap the fruits of our labor.

Corn processing methods and distillers grains in finishing diets

erin.laborie@unl.edu — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 12:05:16 -0400

Corn and distillers grains are staples in Midwest finishing diets. Understanding how the various types and inclusion levels of these feed resources impact cattle performance and ultimately the bottom line of an operation is important.

Manage shrink when marketing cattle

paul.beck@okstate.edu — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 11:42:20 -0400

All along the marketing chain of beef cattle, shrinkage of beef calves is a concern. Both sellers and buyers are constantly seeking information on shrink and weighing conditions of calves, feeder cattle and fats.

Reduce the risk of heat stress in feedlot cattle

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 07:05:17 -0400

The cost of heat stress, it's a losing proposition.

Don’t get caught off guard by the summer heat as the transition from spring to summer can be fast and furious. The rapid change in heat and humidity can put increased stress on cattle.

Transitioning to the feedlot

cbelknap@diamondv.com — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 14:00:01 -0400

It’s that time of year when spring calves will be weaned and new cattle will be entering stocker and feedlot operations.

Slowing down growth in the feedlot

carrie.veselka@agproud.com — Mon, 04 May 2020 15:44:40 -0400

Meat processing plants across the country have gone offline in response to COVID-19 outbreaks among the workers.

A novel look at feed additives for beef cattle

aimee.hafla@devenishna.com — Tue, 24 Dec 2019 15:00:01 -0500

Increasing consumer pressure to reduce or eliminate the use of antibiotics continues to motivate livestock producers to evaluate novel feed additives that offer health and production benefits but do not require veterinary oversight.

Practicalities of pen checking

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 14:00:01 -0400

In today’s cattle industry, feedlot pen checkers often work alone and require the ability to safely and efficiently pull sick cattle from a pen.

Manure management: Know your phosphorous inputs

vishler@psu.edu — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 14:00:01 -0400

Manure produced from any livestock operation has tremendous fertilizer value. Manure from a beef finishing operation contains all the essential nutrients commonly found in fertilizer: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), or NPK.

Keep corn particle size in mind to enhance feedlot efficiency

katielynn@ksu.edu — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 23:26:13 -0400

Ask cattle producers how they grind corn used in their animals’ diets, and the responses would likely range from fine, to medium, to coarse.

Alternative feed additives and rumen health

emma.wall@nutreco.com — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 07:00:00 -0500

The optimization of feed efficiency and animal health is critical to the success and profitability of the beef industry. In feedlots, one of the biggest challenges is the nutritional management of newly received cattle, who enter the feedlot with a wide range of different nutritional and health backgrounds.