When you visit a feedyard, which is something feedyard managers encourage, closely inspect the condition and layout of their facilities.

Starting with the receiving and shipping area, look for cleanliness, ease of movement and close proximity to the scale. A clean, slip-proof ramp like this is a good sign.

Another very important question to ask is about security. Is the receiving/shipping area well-lit for night deliveries that help avoid summer heat stress on your cattle? Who will be there to unload your cattle at midnight? Is there a night watchman on guard?

When your calves are unloaded, their first "home" will be temporary receiving pens like these.

Then they immediately go to the scale, which you can see is just down the alley here. Then it's off to the processing barn, which is the white building in the upper left corner.

Managers at Cactus Feed Yard say their goal is to get cattle processed within 24 hours. Another question to ask the feed yard manager is who are your primary and secondary contact persons at the yard? Managers at Cactus believe that one employee to every 1,000 head of cattle is a good ratio.

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