Cattle are believed to have been brought to the United States by Christopher Colombus in 1493, and then by Spanish colonists until about 1512. These cattle do not compare to the ones seen today, with domestication and different genetic makeups (Decker et al., 2013). Cattle spread across the United States, mostly in the mid-west and south, rapidly by 1800. In the 1840s, the cattle were primarily used for their hide, with the meat occasionally getting packed or discarded. This changed with the invention of the refrigerated railcar, and beef was able to be transported everywhere (Wilson et al, 1965). This time of industrialization changed the beef industry greatly, with the ability to transport beef and cattle on railroads, and changing the way the cattle are raised and processed. At this time, the majority of beef cattle were produced by small farmers and ranchers. According to a historical document by Wilson, published on Purdue University's website from 1965, there was an increase in "beef consumption per person in the U.S. from 56 pounds in 1937 to about 100 pounds in 1964." Beef became very popular in a short period of time, and continues to grow as the years go on. Today, feedlots are used excessively. Feedlots are feeding yards for intensive animal farming. The greater use of feedlots has resulted in the use of antibiotics, growth hormones, and steroids for cattle (Coffman, 2013). There are many different beef options at grocery stores in the United States today. They are also raised in different ways now as well, with organic options that are relatively new. Not only are there a variety of options, but most beef comes from big operations rather than small farms. The beef industry is constantly developing and will continue to do so to find more sustainable and nutritional methods.