There is no ideal, bigger pens with more cattle can be fed more efficiently, but smaller groups of cattle do better. The trick is balancing both.
A couple basics, feedlots space per head should be at least 400 sq ft. Bunk space needs to be 6 inches per animal for self-feeding (feed there all the time) and 2 feet per animal for once a day feeding.
Some big feedlots use 200 by 400 pens for 200 head, or 200 by 200 for 100 head.
Jason Trowbridge Southern Angus Farms Alberta Canada
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