What was the solution to get Texas cattle to eastern cities?
The solution came from Joseph McCoy, a young cattle shipper from Illinois. McCoy came up with the idea to herd cattle north through Texas and the Indian Territory and meet up with the railroads in Kansas. There, cattle would be loaded into railroad cars and transported east.
How were cattle transported from Texas to the East?
Some cattle drives from Texas were met with armed mobs in southeast Kansas, southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. As the cattle drives were pushed westward, many trail bosses started using the Western or Dodge City Trail, also called the Fort Griffin Trail. It became the principal route north after 1876.
How did they get rid of Texas fever?
In the United States it has been eliminated by a vigorous program of cattle dipping, which eradicated the tick vector. King Ranch manager Robert J. Kleberg is credited with building the first dipping vat in the state.
What enabled Texas ranchers to ship cattle instead of drive them long distances?
Railroads crossing the Plains were able to take Cattle to market. The cattle were shipped live to Chicago where they were slaughtered in huge slaughter houses. Then they were refrigerated and sent East for sale. This was made possible by Gustavus Swift who developed refrigerated rail cars.
What type of disease is Texas cattle fever?
Texas cattle fever is a widespread protozoan disease transmitted by cattle ticks (Boophilus). This disease, no longer prevalent in the United States because the tick has been eliminated, remains important in many tropical and subtropical countries.
Where did the cattle come from in Texas?
From the mid-nineteenth century several major cattle trails led from Texas through Indian Territory (Oklahoma) to Missouri, Kansas, and northward. American Indian ranching was also important in the territory, and in addition, a large amount of Indian land was regularly leased to whites for grazing.
What was the value of cattle on the Chisholm Trail?
By 1859, the driving of cattle was outlawed in many Missouri jurisdictions. By the end of the Civil War, most cattle were being moved up the western branch of trail, being gathered at Red River Station in Montague County, Texas . In 1866, cattle in Texas were worth only $4 per head, compared to over $40 per head in the North and East.
Why was the Texas cattle drive cut short?
The Texas cattle drive era was cut short after only two decades thanks to expanding rail lines that reduced the profitability of trailing, the invention of barbed wire which closed the open range, and the discovery of “Texas Fever” which made Texas longhorns a threat to other breeds.
How is cattle ranching a part of Texas culture?
Cattle ranching is not only part of the Texas economy, it’s a part of the culture. The University of Texas at Austin is home to an immensely popular college football team, the Longhorns, whose mascot “Bevo” has been adored by fans for a century.