A feedlot, also known as an animal feeding operation (AFO), is a type of intensive animal farming used for beef cattle, swine, horses, sheep, turkeys, chickens, or ducks prior to slaughter. The basic principle of a feedlot is to increase the amount of fat gained by each animal as quickly as possible, which is achieved by keeping animals in confined quarters rather than allowing them to range freely over grassland. This allows them to gain weight more quickly and efficiently with the added benefit of economies of scale.

Feedlots are highly dependent on the health of their livestock, as disease can have a great impact on the animals, and controlling sickness can be difficult with numerous animals living together. Many feedlots will have an entrance protocol in which new animals entering the lot are given vaccines to protect them against potential sickness that may arise in the first few weeks in the feedlot.

Most feedlots require some type of governmental approval to operate, which generally consists of an agricultural site permit. Feedlots also have an environmental plan in place to deal with the large amount of waste that is generated from the numerous livestock housed. The environmental farm plan is set in place to raise awareness about the environment and covers 23 different aspects around the farm that may affect the environment.

There are a few common methods of waste recycling within feedlots, with the most common being spreading it back on the cropping fields used. Feedlots can have a significant impact on the environment and public health, and there are concerns about animal welfare and worker safety. Organizations like the NRDC are working to reduce the environmental and health impacts of feedlot operations by advancing management practices and technologies for containing and recycling all feedlot manure.