The origins and consequences of the American feedlot system.

This thesis examines the history and the consequences of the American feedlot system. Until this system came into place, cattle were rarely eaten as they were more valuable alive for their milk and labor than they were for meat. The change that this system facilitated has transformed the American diet, as well as the diet of much of the industrialized world. Industrial advancements and government policies were instrumental in the development of the feedlot system. To examine this history, this thesis studies primary sources from agricultural, business, and industrial history, human and veterinary medicine, newspaper/magazine articles, biographies of influential industrialists and government officials, and government documents. Further, the thesis uses contemporary studies in the field of environmental science.