1. Cattle Industry

2. Spanish Origins Came from Mexico with the explorers
Land grants started around Rio Grande
Flourished in late 1800s
Brands!
End of buffalo and Natives being sent to reservations opened a lot of doors

4. Why Cattle? 4,400 acres if you raised cattle (1821)
Can be used for MANY things!
Meat
Hides for leather goods
Fat for soap, and candles
Etc.!!!

6. Cattle vs. Civil War Industry Cattle Declined during war
Union controlled Mississippi River
Men were off fighting
Men had little money and cattle were worth close to nothing post war
Number of cattle increased during war
Lack of industry
Open range

7. Market Changes Railroads are the key to success!
Expansion allowed market to expand North and Eastward
Stockyards and Packinghouses sprang up
Money, money, money
Transportation is crucial
Cattle might be $4 in TX and $40 in packinghouse in Chicago

8. Cow Towns Abilene, KS Sprang up in KS, TX, OK, LA, AK
Had holding pens, railroad connections, wide streets, entertainment for cowhands, etc.

9. Cattle Trails Chisholm Trail 1st of many!
35,000 head of cattle reached destination in 1867
Started in Victoria, went north to KS
Western/Dodge City Trail
Popular in the 1870s
Started in San Antonio, went north through Dodge City and into NE
Pecos/Goodnight Loving Trail
Covered western part of TX
Extended north into NM, CO, and later WY
Over 6 million head of cattle would travel northward between 1867 and 1890.

11. Cattle Trail Sequence Roundup Unmarked cattle has to be branded
Can take weeks, often used hundreds of cowhands
Separated into herds
Scouts go ahead
Had to find best route and report to trail boss
Needed water, ample grass, good weather, no hostilities
Cattle is driven north and sold

12. Trail Jobs Trail Boss Manages the drive, herds, and all cowhands
Makes all necessary and important decisions
Cowhand--helped with roundup and branding
Pointers—rode near the lead cattle to keep herd on route
Flankers—rode beside herd to prevent straying
Draggers—rode at the back of the herd to prevent lagging
Wranglers—took care of extra horses on drive

14. Expanding the Cattle Industry
Drives started out as once a year
Cattle owners realized the earliest cattle made the most money
Many started going north in the fall and waiting out the winter
Resulted in spread of the cattle industry to the north and west (WY, MT)
Most cattle were born in TX and shipped north as calves
Early spring and summer began as optimal times