The rise of the Cattle Business

Before the Civil War millions of longhorn in

Texas sold for $4 each raised for leather or

tallow (fat) to make candles or soap

After the Civil War The demand for beef

rose in the USA Price of longhorn rose

from $4 to $40 per cow

Now it is more profitable to raise and sell cattle…cattle drives…than it was to grow cotton

King Ranch - most famous founded in 1852 by

Richard King. It has doubled in size after his death and is now larger than the state of Rhode Island.

The JA Ranch – founded by Charles Goodnight and backed by John Adair from Great Britain. It is the oldest privately owned cattle ranch in the Texas Panhandle.

The XIT Ranch was located in the Panhadle and spanned over 3 million acres using 6,000 miles of fence. The Ranch was sold to homesteaders and ranchers.

Early Texas Ranchers

Texas Cattle Trail Map

Shawnee Trail

Chisholm Trail

Western Trail

Goodnight-Loving Trail

St. Louis

Brownsville

Abilene

Dodge City

Denver

Kansas City

Sedalia

San Antonio

Dallas

Life on the Trail

In the spring, cattle were brought into camp to be branded.

The average herd size was around 3,000 head.

Managers (AKA trail bosses) planned and managed the drive.

The number of men on a drive ranged from 11-18

Cowboys needed 50-60 good horses, called a remuda.

Managers earn $100/m Cooks earn $75/m Wranglers earned $50/m Trail Hands earn $25-$40/m

Range Wars

Cattle vs. Sheep

Sheep ate the grass almost to the roots which destroyed the grazing for cattle

Sheepherders often needed to drive their flocks over ranchers’ land in order to move from pasture to another.

Cattle vs. Barbed Wire

1873 – Joseph Glidden invented barbed wire.

As ranchers began fencing their land in 1880’s conflicts worsened.

Some public roads and water supply were cut off by fences, so small farmers fought back by cutting fences

By 1883 a “range war” had begun, finally legislature made it illegal to cut fences. People who fenced across public roads or water supply had to provide a gate.

The Railroad Comes to Texas

In 1853 the first trains rolled across Texas on 20 miles of track

By 1861, nine sets of railroads were in Texas

By 1900 over 10,000 miles of railroad tracks expanded across Texas.

Before the Civil War there were very few railroads in Texas.

Railroads were first successfully completed in 1851

Goat ranching and Mustang ranching

engulfed the cattle drive tradition, causing a stop of drives in the 1880s.

The invention of barbed wire and setting up fences made it necessary for ranchers to change their practices.

Railroads expanded west into Texas and made it less essential to have drives.

The End of the Open Range

The Big Die Up

Modern Ranching Begins

Cattle are now fenced in.

It was the harsh winter of 1886-1887

Cattle were lost in the snow trying to find their way back. They got trapped in the fence and froze to death.

The following summer was a drought that prevented the grass to grow for grazing.

This marks the beginning of Modern Ranching.

Cattle ranchers start calculating how much pasture is needed to manage their cows

Ranchers started crossbreeding cattle in order to improve the quality of their meat.

Modern Ranching

Fall of the Cowboy Painting

With "the big die up” in ’88 Some said the west was done. And for a fact it forced a change in way a ranch was

run. They had to fence the open range So cattle wouldn't stray. They put in fields and water works To winter cows on hay With “the big die up” in 88 Some said the west was done. But the days of cattle ranching

The Big Die UpBy Mike Puhallo

Had really just begun. Ranches keep on changing More modern every day! But there’s still a place, for a good cowhand To ride and earn his pay. With “the big die up” in 88 Some said the west was done. Bit if heart and spirit count at all Hey, folks we’ve just BEGUN!!!!