Cattle Ranches

What was a cattle ranch?

A cattle ranch was a large area of farmland where cattle were kept.

Who started the first ranch?

John Iliff started the first cattle ranch in 1861.

What happened on the ranch in the winter?

In winter the cattle were allowed to roam free, so there was little work for the cowboys. The few that remained on the ranch used their time to fix equipment, check on animals that got into trouble in harsh weather, and make plans for spring.

What happened on the ranch in the spring?

In the spring the cattle needed to be rounded up, branded with their owner's mark, and driven closer to the ranch.

How did the ranches use the railroad?

The ranches took their cattle to the railroad for transportation, instead of driving them along trails to market. It took days rather than months, and was much less costly and dangerous.

How big were ranches?

Typically, ranches were over 2,000 acres, although many were a lot bigger. They also used public land for grazing.

Why was there rivalry between the ranches and the homesteaders?

There were 7 important reasons for the rivalry between the cattle ranchers and the homesteaders:

• ❖ Homesteaders could claim public land under the Homestead Act. This land was already being used as additional grazing land by the cattle ranchers.
• ❖ Ranchers sometimes claimed land under the Homestead Act, which contained the water source for the surrounding land. This put the homesteaders off making a claim there.
• ❖ As they bought up different areas of land, the ranchers could make some public land impossible for homesteaders to access.
• ❖ Workers on cattle ranches put in claims for land and then handed the rights to the owner of the ranch.
• ❖ Violence was used by some ranchers to threaten homesteaders away from claiming public land.
• ❖ Some ranchers accused homesteaders of crimes such as 'stealing a cow', which carried a severe punishment.
• ❖ Ranchers sometimes took homesteaders to court over land. Because the homesteaders could not afford lawyers and court costs, they often gave in to the ranchers' bullying.

Why was there rivalry between the ranches and sheep farmers?

Ranchers and sheep farmers both used public land for grazing, which brought them into conflict. The cattle ranchers put up fences which were cut down by the sheep farmers. This led to violence and court cases. The cattle ranchers were involved in politics and had the right connections, and sheep farmers often lost in the courts.

Why did Native Americans join ranches?

Many Native Americans sought work on the ranches after losing their livelihoods - the growth of the cattle industry meant the number of buffalo was severely reduced.