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What happened to the cattle ranching industry after the end of cattle drives?
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
overgrazing
Nikki Kovacek
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoNo. The decline of the cattle industry is all due to changes in consumer's interests and wants. If there was a lesser demand of beef from consumers, then there is potential for the decline of beef sales to be had, no matter if ranchers or cattlemen's associations tried to find someway to promote their product to consumers.
Also, Mother Nature had a much larger say in how cattle where being sold and distributed, as well as how they were properly cared for. Ranchers in the late 1800's failed to put up winter feed for their stock because they thought that the cattle would, like horses and bison, be able to forage just fine on their own. They also thought that the type of cattle they raised, i.e. those rangy-looking Texas Longhorns, would fair well up in northern country in really cold winters. Ranchers found out otherwise in the winter of 1887-88 when thousands and thousands of cattle froze and/or starved to death simply because no hay was put up for them to eat. Also, there wasn't enough forage to even put up feed: most ranges at that time were so over-grazed that there was nothing left for the cattle to graze on during the most difficult time of the year.
The type of cattle raised also didn't help matters. Longhorns suffer a lot more during the winter in states like South Dakota, Idaho and Montana, to name a few, than the other breeds that came to North America later, such as Herefords, Angus, and Shorthorn. Longhorns may be the toughest and most resolute breed when it comes to finding food in the Mojave Desert and living through temperatures that skyrocket over 100oF, but it's a completely different story when they're out in the middle of the range and Arctic-like weather that makes temperatures plummet to -40 blows through in the middle of January.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoTractors and trucks started to do the work. Why drive cattle, when you can trailer them to slaughter. Ranches became bigger and more efficient.
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Cattle industry and cattle drives originate in?
The cattle industry originated in Ancient Egypt over 5000 years ago. Same with the cattle drives.
How did cattle ranching and the work of cowhands promote the settlement of the plains?
Cattle ranching and he work cowhands did promoted settlements of the plains so there were places to rest during a long cattle drive. As railroads grew, more settlements were established and cattle drives were a large part of the economy.
How did the cattle trails and the long drives change the cattle industry?
I don't think it was the cattle trails themselves that changed the industry, it was more or less the building of the railroads, more pioneers taking over the land, and barbed wire that changed the cattle industry as a whole.
What happened to lost cattle from the big cattle drives?
They become feral or join another local herd or die.
How did the railroad effect the ranching companies?
The railroads meant the rancher had a shorter journey to cattle markets. Instead of a cattle drive having to go a long distance, taking many days, the cattle were driven to the nearest railhead or cattle yard and loaded onto cattle trucks.
Why did you have cattle drives?
to get cattle to the market.
What is the plural of cattle drive?
Cattle drives
Why is the image of a cowboy herding cattle on open range not an accurate descrption of commercial cattle ranching?
Nowadays, cattle are loaded onto cattle trucks or trains. Though "cowboys" still use horses for daily chores of looking after the cattle on the range surrounding the ranch, the long cattle drives over several weeks to a distant market are a thing of the past. Most of the old drove route have vanished beneath modern farms and housing.
Why did the cattle ranching end?
Cattle drives were for taking cattle to the stock pens for shipping by rail. Trucks replaced the rail stock yards and now they just go from large ranches to sale. Yet, there are small cattle drives that still do take place in some areas.
Where is the cattle industry located in Texas?
Hereford, Texas is considered the beef capital of the world.
How long did cattle drives last?
That depends on how far the cow hands had to drive the cattle. Most cattle drives lasted anywhere from a week to several months.
How long did the cattle drives last?
That depends on how far the cow hands had to drive the cattle. Most cattle drives lasted anywhere from a week to several months.
