Half of the land used to raise cattle is called marginal land which means it cannot grow crops. This is because it is to hilly or rocky or has poor quality soil. Ruminant animals are the only things that can use this land and turn it into high quality protein for humans.

Almost all (86%) of what cattle eat, like grasses, can’t be eaten by people

Crops that are grown for people that don’t meet quality standards can be fed to cattle rather than ending up in landfills.

You might see cattle trailers on the roads and highways. They could be taking cattle to many different places. This includes pastures for grazing or feedlots where the animals can be fed and cared for, or to the processing plant. Transportation of cattle is overseen by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to ensure cattle are moved safely.   

In the winter when the grass doesn’t grow, ranchers feed their animals hay (cut and dried grass) or silage (wet grass that ferments in a pit.) Fermenting preserves the silage for a long time.