End of the Cattle Drive

In the 1860s, railroad depots north of Texas provided Texas ranchers access to markets for beef on the East and West coasts. In the 1880s, rail lines extended into Texas itself. With the development of railroads throughout Texas, ranchers could ship cattle from points much closer to their operations. Driving cattle north was no longer necessary

Refrigeration brought about yet another shift in the cattle industry. Before refrigeration became available, animals had to be shipped live to slaughterhouses. Those slaughterhouses had to be near markets to avoid spoilage of the processed meat. Most meatpacking of any beef or pork was done in cities in the East, Midwest, and West coast, where populations were high.

After the war, engineers made more advances in refrigeration. By 1868, refrigerated ships using dry ice made with carbon dioxide compressors could transport meat from Texas to New York and Europe. Refrigerated rail cars, which allowed chilled meat to be shipped across the country, also came into use. These advances led to the development of a meatpacking industry in Texas, since livestock could now be slaughtered and packaged, then shipped and sold elsewhere. In Texas the railroad, refrigeration, and meatpacking industries were closely linked to the growth of ranches. These businesses supported each other as they expanded.

The destruction of the buffalo herds and the movement of Native Americans to reservations opened more land for Texas ranchers. While many ranchers of the 1800s grazed their cattle on the open range, others bought land for pasture and fenced it. King and Kenedy were among the first ranchers to fence their land. Over the next few years, more and more ranchers fenced in their land to protect their cattle.