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The Cattle Industry on the Great Plains

Wild long horn cattle lived in the Texas plains. The long horn cattle were strong animals brought in by the Spanish settlers. Texas became a part of the US in 1845 and the Mexicans in Texas became US citizens. Vaqueros were respected because they were good at herding cattle and they taught their skill to others.

Demand and Supply for Cattle In Texas cattle sold for only $4.00 each. In the eastern and northern US the demand for cattle was higher because people wanted them for beef and leather so they sold for $40.00. Supply and Demand relationship: When the price of something is low, people usually buy more of it. When the price of something is high, people want to produce and sell more of it.

Texas ranchers wanted to sell their cattle at the highest price but the cattle could not drive themselves northwards to the markets! They needed the cowboys to guide them. They shipped the cattle to the eastern and northern cities., Cattle was led to the railheads to then be shipped by cowhands. Railheads are the towns were the railroad tracks begin or end. Cattle drives followed trails where water and grass were available.

Why did Texas cattle ranchers want to sell their animals in the East and North?

One big problem of moving the cattle from Texas to the cities of the East was transport. The building of the Trans-Continental Railroad by 1868 solved this problem. It was now possible to drive the cattle to a rail depot, sell them to a dealer, who could then transport them in refrigerated wagons to the growing cities of the East such as New York and Chicago. Vast profits were now available for those with the cattle to sell. The railroad arrived at Sedalia in 1865, and by 1870 it extended into Kansas. It was here that the cow towns such as Abilene were built at railheads for the transport of cattle to the East. See page 240 for a map of the railheads and cattle drives!

Life on the Drives Dangerous, hard, dirty About 12 cowhands had to care for 3,000 longhorns 10-14 hours on horseback What do you think happened if it lightning or thundered? Many cowhands were African Americans like Nat Love Slept on ground, took turn watching cattle How would you feel as a cowhand?

The end of the drives Lasted for about 20 years from 1860 to about 1880’s Invention of barbed wire- This was put up by new settlers and it blocked the cattle trails that crossed the Great Plains. Once railroad were built in Texas in the 1870’s there was no need for cowhands to drive cattle to railheads. There were railroads that were now nearby. There were too many cattle and not enough grass to feed cattle. Sheepranchers wanted the space for their sheep. During 1886-1887 there was a VERY cold winter! The freezing temperatures killed thousands of cattle.

Cause and Effect Chart