The Battle Between Cattlemen and Farmers
by Conflicts between cattlemen and farmers grew as each side found it difficult to sustain their way of life due to each others’ action. Farmers were very dependant on the fresh and fertile land on the plains to plant and grow their agricultural products. Cattlemen, also known as ranchers needed large amounts of land in order to transport and feed their cattle. Conflicts between the two started to escalate as both sides began to take steps in hopes of protecting their own interest which evidently started a “war”.
Farmers and cattlemen, both ran a very competitive business. Both of these jobs were beginning to grow popular in the western frontier region. The land there which was once believed to be unusable was actually very rich and fertile. Farmers were able to take advantage of the flat plains and productive irrigation systems. The land allowed farmers to plant different forms of agriculture. Ranchers required a large amount of land in order to transport and feed their cattle. Their own interest and protection of land started a small war between the two.
Ranchers were the first to start this conflict. In hopes of transporting their cattle to the market, they drove the cattles through the precious land owned by farmers. The land became unusable for agriculture over time if used by ranchers in that way. In hopes of protecting their land, farmers all around began to use a new form of fencing. The invention of barbed wires proved to be an effective way to protect the farmers’ land from the roaming cattles. Barb wire helped created a boundaries and prevented cattle from going through. Previously, rancher roamed freely through the plains taking the shortest possible route to get to where they were going. Routes may now be blocked and restricted with dangerous barbed wires. Barbed wires could kill cattles if they ever ran into them. This started a feud between ranchers and farmers known as the “range wars.” Ranchers began to find ways around this problem by cutting through the barbed wire fencing, but this only fueled conflicts with farmers further. Both sides were trying to protect their own business and interest.
The outcomes of their conflicts were devastating, especially to the ranchers. The shrunken and fenced lands began to take its toll on ranchers because they could not transport their cattle to the market. Also, an over growing population of cattle started a food shortage which killed many as grass and water became scarce. Ranchers lost their cattle and found it difficult to sell. Farmers took a small hit from ranchers. Although they lost some land, they were able to bounce back. Farmers were hurt more due to industrialization than the ranchers. Farmers all around had to go through a period of over production which meant that there was too much of a certain kind of good. As a result, they made much less off what they made. At some times, farmers did not even make any money. At first both farmers and ranchers made great profits, but the conflicts that farmers and ranchers had only made their lives worse as time and other negative events went by.
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