Ranching and the Cattle Industry

• The cattle industry before the Civil War

  Cowboys herded (or drove) cattle across the South to towns where they could be transported to the big Northern cities.

  In 1855, Missouri passed a quarantine law to ban Texan cattle. They were worried about Texas fever infecting their own animals.

  As a result, Texan cowboys began looking for alternative cattle trails.

  
• The cattle industry after the Civil War:

  Things were good in the North…

  • There was high demand for beef. A cow was worth $40.
  • Meat production had been industrialised, so it was quicker and cheaper.
• The cattle industry after the Civil War

  However, in the South…

  • There was little demand for cows.
  • Beef prices had dropped. A cow was worth $5.
  • The Longhorn cattle in Texas had gone half-wild, having been left unmanaged during the war.