Cattle Industry

The U.S. fed-cattle industry is the largest in the world. The country’s extensive grasslands are an ideal prerequisite for the production of beef. Originally, grazing cattle was an efficient way to use the land unsuitable for crop production. Today, a growing percentage of beef is produced in feedlots, which means that the animals are fed grains instead of grass. In 2013, the United States produced 25.8 billion pounds of beef and 201.2 billion pounds of milk. Like the beef sector, the dairy industry has shifted from smaller farms with small herds to fewer large operations with a growing number of highly productive animals. These changes have led to concerns about the impact of the cattle industry on the environment, animal welfare, public health, and working ...