overstocking

• firstlyThe beef bonanza of the 1870s meant that the open range became overstocked. This put an end to open range ranching
• • There were too many animals on the Plains. All the grass was eaten up and the soil eroded. less grass and eventually weaker animals
• • as a result Because so much beef was available, there was a fall in demand. Beef prices fell.By 1882, profits were actually going down but ranchers still kept the cattle just in case the prices went back up again.