In the 1860s, millions of longhorn cattle lived in Texas.
They were strong animals that were first brought to North
America by Spanish settlers. They ate grass and did not need
a lot of water. Cowhands made sure the cows did not run
away. They herded the cattle.
Cattle ranchers could not make much money selling their
cattle in Texas because there were so few people. There was
a big supply of cattle, but not a big demand. So the price
of cattle was low. In the eastern and northern parts of the
United States, people wanted to buy cattle products. So
cattle prices were high.
The Cattle Drives
The cattle ranchers wanted to sell their cattle in the East and
North. They could get better prices because the demand was
high and the supply was low. The cattle drives ended in the late 1880s for several
reasons. First, there was the invention of barbed wire. This
wire had sharp points on it. Settlers used barbed wire to make
fences on their property. The fences blocked the cattle trails.
Second, more railroads were built. Railheads were closer to
the ranches. Third, too many cattle grazed on crowded ranges,
and there was not enough grass to feed all the cattle. Finally,
the terrible winter of 1886–1887 killed thousands of cattle.
