As profit margins become smaller, North American beef producers rely on economies of scale and efficiency of production to remain economically viable. Morbidity and mortality of feedlot cattle adversely affect profitability through decreased performance of sick and dead animals, increased costs associated with treatment, increased cost of feed consumed by animals that die prematurely, and loss of the animal’s purchase price, the latter being the single largest cost in beef production (Jim 2009). In feedlots of the mid-Western United States, total morbidity ranges from 5-11% of animals received and total mortality ranges from 0.57% to 1.07% of animals received (Smith 1998). Musculoskeletal diseases in the feedlot account for between 6% and 11% of morbidity, with chronic musculoskeletal conditions accounting for 40%–60% of cattle sold for salvage slaughter prior to reaching target weight (Edwards 2002). Proper management of these chronically ill and lame cattle represents a major opportunity for minimizing losses. Nonetheless, feedlot injuries are one of the most overlooked and mis-diagnosed conditions in feedlots (Stokka et al 2001). This paper will use the case of a chronically lame yearling steer in a Western Canadian feedlot as a gateway to discuss causes of bovine lameness in feedlots.