The Days of Big Ranches

Big Ranches Huge ranches took over south and west Texas Occurred after NA were removed and buffalo were slaughtered The state of Texas offered 3 million acres to a Chicago beef company in order to build the capital building in Austin

Mustangers Horses were valuable to ranching during the 1870s Catching and training mustangs became profitable Most mustangers were MA and AA

Sheep Industry Booms Settlers began breeding European and Mexican sheep Produced twice as much wool Sheep ranchers began fighting with cattle ranchers for land rights

Barbed Wire Ends the Open Range By 1880 ranchers began fencing off land on the open range Blocked other ranchers herds from food and water supply Forced ranchers to build windmills in order to pump water for animals

Ranching Declines Ranching declined rapidly in late 1880s Large profits led ranchers to produce too many cattle Cattle consumed too much grass which ruined graze lands Over abundance also caused beef prices to fall Severe blizzards and droughts forced ranchers to sell land as farmland