A cattle feedlot is a managed facility where livestock are provided a balanced and nutritious diet for the purpose of producing beef of a consistent quality and quantity.
Around one third of Australian livestock spend some time in a feedlot, with around 4% of the country’s cattle population located in feedlots at any one time. The average period cattle spend in a feedlot is between 50-120 days, or around 10-15% of their lifespan. The use of feedlots is common practice across the world, including in the EU.
In Australia, the feedlot sector is heavily regulated. National guidelines are in place to ensure that animal welfare is taken into consideration throughout the design and delivery of feedlotting.
MLA has produced a feedlot design manual which guides farmers through the stages of selecting a suitable site, designing the feedlot and its facilities, construction and overall management in line with animal welfare standards.
