ABSTRACT
Cattle entered what is now the United States through four distinct paths starting in the early sixteenth century. The Spanish brought cattle from the West Indies to the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico coast of Florida. Spanish cattle also entered the Southwest, including present-day New Mexico and Texas, from Mexico. Confined animal feeding operations, including beef cattle feedlots, have evolved into highly sophisticated, complex systems that are very dependent upon technology. Feeding more roughage in the diet will likely reduce gain efficiency and increase production costs. Another approach could be to feed the same roughage concentration but increase roughage particle size in the diet. Increases in roughage particle size result in increased roughage effectiveness at reducing the rate of feed consumption and stimulating rumination and saliva production, thus resulting in reductions in rumen acidity. In well-managed, properly designed feedlots, most cattle are comfortable most of the time.
