Cattle industry

• 1850s - cattle trails

  Cattles industry began in texas in the 1850s

  Cattle breeded in texas then cowboys herded then to Missisouri to be sold in cities in the north. This was known as the long drive and usually took 2 to 3 months
• 1861 - 65 civil war

  during the civil war cowboys went to fight leaving the cattle unmanaged, as a result increased breeding

  because there was so many demand fell price was now $5

  old trails in missouri were blocked by quanitine laws, introduced by farmers concerned about cattle getting Texas fever

  needed to look for other ways to sell in the north for $40
• goodnight loving trail - 1866

  in 1866 set up by 2 cattle men. taking cattle to mining towns and reservations in the west. beginning with 2000 cattle to starved natives in reservations near fort sumner. this was significant because it expanded the industry westwards
• joesph mcCoy and Abilene 1867

  a business man who developed the fist cow town in Kansas. were towns along the railroad where cattle could be put onto trains and taken into northern cities

  McCoy built hotels and bars

  spent $5000 marketing from

  3 million cattle were taken to Abliene from 1867-1872
• john illif - open ranges

  realised it could be cheaper and easier to raise cattle on the plains, instead of raising them in Texas and drive them up to towns like Abilene.

  brought plains land in Colorado, and raised 26000 cattle there. this was called open ranching, where cattle. roamed freely.

  cattle barons like illif become very rich. the industry then entered a peak called the beef bonanza
• role of a cowboy - stage 1 - life on the long drive

  long drive was to herd cattle from texas usually took 2-6 months

  typical cattle drive consisted of 3000 cattle between 12 cowboys

  life was adventurous, exciting and dangerous

  faced challenges like crossing rivers and attacks from natives and outlaws
• role of a cowboy - stage 2 - life on the open ranch

  when open ranching began the life of a cowboy changed

  long drives became less common

  their main job was to round up cattle and brand them to show who they belonged too.

  during the winter, they were needed less on the open range meaning many took up other jobs like barman.

  thoses that remained in the open range stayed in bunkhouses which were cold and lonely, many ranches banned gambling