Cattle ranching really grew in the late 1800s. Once the buffalo were killed off and Native Americans had moved to reservations, ranchers began moving west.
SPANISH ORIGINS When the Spanish explorers and priests came from Mexico to what was Spanish Texas, they brought cattle with them. Vaqueros are early Spanish Cowboys Vaqueros
Used horses and Reatas (ropes) to round up herds of cattle raised cattle on the open range used English cattleraising techniques worked with smaller herds that were fenced in worked on foot most of the time instead of horseback
Cattle Brands Cattle were marked with their owners brand which is a mark burned into the cow s hide. Cattle were raised on the open range so the brand was used to tell who s cattle was whose.
Some cattle strayed from the missions or ranches. Over time, a new breed evolved known as the Texas longhorn.
The longhorn was able to adapt to almost any environment. able to survive on little water or food able to survive extreme hot or cold temperatures Able to use their horns for protection
The Civil War had a negative impact on the cattle industry. Ranching decreased during the war. Cattle multiplied which so greatly increased their numbers that they weren t worth as much.
After the Civil War The demand for beef increased in other parts of the U.S. after the Civil War. Railroads to the north allowed beef to be shipped to markets outside of Texas. Stockyards and packinghouses sprang up near Chicago and St. Louis. A longhorn that was worth $4 in Texas could bring close to $40 in the packinghouses. Cattle owners searched for a way to safely transport their cattle to the stockyards
Cattle drives Cattle drives made up an important part of the cattle industry. Cowhands led the herds hundreds of miles to railroads where they could be shipped east.
Abilene, Kansas In 1867 Joseph G. McCoy, a Chicago business leader, built the first cow town in Abilene, Kansas near the railroad. Pens were put along railroad tracks in the wide streets. The cattle could be driven through town. Abilene also had entertainment for cowboys McCoy attracted buyers for bidding on their cattle.
The Development of Cattle Trails The Chisholm Trail was the first of the great cattle trails. As many as 35,000 head of cattle reached Abilene, Kansas in 1867, and the number increased to 350,000 by 1869.
CATTLE TRAILS, 1867 1890
As more railroads were built, more trails developed. The Western Trail (Dodge City Trail) became popular in the 1870s. The Goodnight-Loving Trail started by Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving
Life on the Trail Cattle Drives began with a roundup Cowboys branded unmarked cattle could take weeks Scouts rode in front of the herd to select the best route Usually north would depend on availability of water and grass alert the trail boss of dangers The Trail boss had complete authority over all the cowhands
Cowboys had specific duties: Pointers directed the cattle Flankers rode on the side to kept the cattle from straying Drag Position rode in the rear to keep the cows from straying behind Wranglers took care of the extra horses called the remuda Cowboys switched horses two to three times a day
The camp cook rode ahead in a chuck wagon to have dinner ready for the trail riders when they arrived. Chuck wagon a wagon that carries cooking equipment and food for the cowhands
Driving cattle was hard and dangerous work. Some of the dangers included: -Bad weather or predators could cause the herd to stampede -Indians would occasionally attack - Lightning from thunderstorms due to lack of shelter
King Ranch Famous Ranches 614,000 acres (near Kingsville) Established by Richard King JA Ranch 100,000 cattle and million acres Established by Charles Goodnight XIT Ranch (stands for ten in Texas because it spreads out over 10 counties) Over 3 million acres Land was sold in exchange for a new capital building for the Texas Government in Austin.
Barbed Wire Ranchers tried to keep track of their livestock, but it was difficult. Cattle owners started open-range methods of ranching because wooden rails and rocks were not easy to find for fences. In 1873 Joseph Glidden invented barbed wire. Barbed wire worked great and was inexpensive.
Movies portray them as gunslingers and outlaws This is mostly fiction as most cowboys were men working for a living. People in the East loved stories of gunfighters so writers invented the western genre.
There were some famous Texan outlaws however. Sam Bass (supposedly) Sam Bass Train and Bank robber killed near Round Rock, Texas John Wesley Hardin In the history of the West, John Wesley Hardin ranks as one of the worst killers of all. By the time he went to prison in 1878, he claimed to have killed 44 men. John Wesley Hardin
Rustlers were cattle or horse thieves Many brands were made with straight lines (like the XIT) so it was more difficult for rustlers to change or brand over them.