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Ranching & Cattle Culture
The cattle industry was the economic engine of the Old West. From the great cattle drives to the establishment of sprawling ranches, beef production shaped the frontier economy and gave rise to the cowboy culture we know today.
This page serves as The Rancher's Compendium—a comprehensive guide to ranching tools, cattle breeds, branding, and the economics of the range.
The Great Cattle Drives
The Chisholm Trail
The Goodnight-Loving Trail
The Western Trail
Cattle towns: Abilene, Dodge City, and beyond
The economics of cattle drives
Cattle Breeds
Texas Longhorn
Hereford
Angus
Brahman
Shorthorn
Branding & Ranch Management
The art and history of cattle branding
Brand registration and reading brands
Ear marks and other identification
Roundups and branding days
Ranch Tools & Equipment
Branding irons and their design
Stock saddles and rigging
Fencing and barbed wire
Windmills and water management
Chuck wagons and trail cooking
Famous Ranches & Ranchers
King Ranch of Texas
Charles Goodnight
John Chisum
XIT Ranch
Ranching Wisdom
"Always drink upstream from the herd." — Cowboy Proverb
"A man afoot is no man at all." — Old West Saying
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