Feedlot for dairy cattle: history and characteristics

Abstract

The confinement regime for the exploration of meat and milk is a common, recurrent and necessary practice in many countries. In recent times there has been growing concern about the planning of facilities for confinement for dairy cattle to improve comfort and wellbeing of the animals. The purpose of this review is to describe the types of feedlots for dairy cattle, currently available, giving greater emphasis to the constructive characteristics of each system. Confined animals may have an acceptable standard of well-being and comfort as appropriate facilities are provided along with good animal health and management practices. An increasing trend of the number of confinement in Brazil and in of world could be noted based on this study. The reason for that is the lack of large areas of available land near urban centers and due to exigencies of consumers.