1. The Days of Big Ranches

2. 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

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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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