Cattle Hooves on Wet Steel Grating After Rain

Gray afternoon light falls across diamond-patterned steel grating in a Rhode Island feedlot chute. Four dark cattle hooves rest on the wet metal surface, water beading around the toes and dripping through the open gaps. A weathered wooden wall runs parallel to the animal legs, bordering a muddy lane slick with late autumn rain. Brown sodden grass lines the far edge of the lane, while mud rests on the lower metal rails. A small puddle collects in a depression near the right side, reflecting the overcast sky. The steady rain creates a continuous sheet of water flowing across the steel.