A feedlot, also known as a feed yard, is a system used in intensive meat production. The basic principle of the feedlot is to increase the amount of weight/fat gained by each animal as quickly and efficiently as possible. Animals are kept in confined quarters and are commonly fed a grain-based diet such that they fatten rapidly prior to slaughter. Feedlots are commonly used in large-scale, intensive ruminant (notably beef cattle) farming. They are primarily associated with the beef industry in the US, Canada, and Australia but are rapidly spreading elsewhere (especially in South American countries like Brazil).