A cattle feeder is a farmer who buys or rears cattle to add weight and quality to the cattle for the meat industry. Optimal Contracting and Vertical Coordination in the Beef Industry 0549451803 2007 "While the primary duty of a feedlot operator is to add weight to the live animal, a cattle feeder is also responsible for the growth rate, feed efficiency, and potential yield and quality of the carcass. " References