Feedlots
Feedlots
Feedlots (pronunciation: /ˈfiːdlɒts/), also known as cattle feedlots or beef lots, are a type of animal feeding operation (AFO) which is used in intensive animal farming for finishing livestock, notably beef cattle, but also swine, horses, sheep, turkeys, chickens or ducks, prior to slaughter.
Etymology
The term "feedlot" is derived from the English words "feed" and "lot", indicating a plot of land where livestock are fed.
Description
A feedlot or feed yard is designed to give large numbers of animals a regulated diet in order to rapidly increase their weight. The animals are typically kept in close quarters, often in individual pens, and are fed a high-energy diet designed to promote rapid weight gain.
Related Terms
- Animal Feeding Operation (AFO): A facility where animals are kept and raised in confined situations. AFOs congregate animals, feed, manure and urine, dead animals, and production operations on a small land area.
- Intensive Animal Farming: Also known as factory farming, is a production approach towards farm animals in order to maximize production output, while minimizing production costs.
- Beef Cattle: Cattle raised for meat production (as distinguished from dairy cattle, used for milk production).
- Slaughter: The process of killing animals for food.
Health and Environmental Concerns
Feedlots can pose a number of health and environmental concerns. These include the potential for water pollution due to runoff from the lots, air pollution from dust and gases, and the spread of disease among animals due to the close quarters in which they are kept.
Regulation
In many countries, feedlots are subject to regulations to protect animal welfare and the environment. These regulations may cover aspects such as the design and operation of the lots, the diet fed to the animals, and the disposal of waste.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Feedlots
- Wikipedia's article - Feedlots
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski