decline

• what are the reasons cattle industry began to decline in the 1880s?

  • overstocking
  • fall in demand for beef
  • grass shortage
  • severe winter of 1886-87
• how did overstocking make the cattle industry decline?

  open range became overstocked and too many cattle were relying on the same land
• how did fall in demand for beef make the cattle industry decline?

  in eastern states there was so much beef and it was easier to get hold of than in the 1860s
• how did grass shortage make the cattle industry decline?

  • overstocking put pressure on the soil making it damaged
  • drought in 1883 made the problem worse
  • prairie fires made grass worse
• how did severe winter of 1886-87 make the cattle industry decline?

  cattle weakened by overstocking causing them to die and the temperatures dropped as low as -55°C
• how low did temperatures drop in the severe winter of 1886-87?

  -55°C
• when was the severe winter?

  1886-87
• who had the most problems in the severe winter?

  large ranches
• what was a problem for small ranches in the severe winter?

  had to take out large bank loans to survive
• what ranches became the model for the future for the cattle industry?

  small ranches
• why were small ranches the future for cattle the cattle industry?

  • small herds could be easily found and be brought closer to the ranch buildings that provided food and shelter
  • during droughts it was easier to provide water to the herd
  • smaller herds easier to guard to prevent rustling
  • smaller herds reduced the price of beef and allowed them to produce a higher quality meat and sell that for higher prices
  • buying pure blood cows to produce high quality meat after 1887 like Herefords
  • fencing land with barbed wire that kept cattle seperate