by train
- The demand for beef from cattle rose in the East.
To get them to the railroads for shipment east.
Cattle trails tended to begin in south Texas because this region provided ample grazing lands and mild climate for cattle to thrive. Additionally, cattle could be easily transported by ship to south Texas from Mexico, where many of the cattle originated. The expansive open terrain in south Texas also allowed for the efficient movement of large herds of cattle towards the Northern markets.
In Texas the abundance of cattle created a greater demand for beef from folks back east. This was after the Civil War to the late 1880s.
In Texas the abundance of cattle created a greater demand for beef from folks back east. This was after the Civil War to the late 1880s.
Texas Ranchers sent their longhorns on cattle drives because the demand of the cattle in Texas was low. But high in the north and east. Demand and supply affect the price of nearly everything that was bought and sold - not just the cattle.
Before railroads were built in Texas, cattle had to be herded on cattle drives to the nearest railroad. The first railroads in the United States ran from east to west. After the railroads were built that ran north and south, the Texas cattle ranchers had less distance to cover to reach a railroad for transport.
Texas ranchers grouped their cattle into herds and marched them across the countryside to get to the railroad to be shipped east or west. This was called a cattle drive and needed about 4 or more people on horseback to control where the cattle went.
The success in Abilene, Texas, as a key cattle trading hub in the mid-19th century marked the beginning of the cattle drive era, where ranchers transported large herds to railroads for shipment to markets in the East. The establishment of the Chisholm Trail made it easier to move cattle from Texas to Kansas, boosting cattle sales and profits. This increased demand for beef, coupled with the expansion of railroads, spurred growth in the cattle industry, leading to the establishment of more ranches and a thriving livestock economy in the region. As a result, Abilene became a model for other cattle towns, further solidifying the industry's expansion across the American West.
All parts: North, East, West, South, Central.
Because there was a much larger population back East than there was out West.
The Brazos River formed the center of the Texas cattle kingdom. To the east was the Colorado River and to the west was the Pecos. All three rivers played a major part during the cattle drives heading north.