The reality behind the romantic image of cowhands and cattle raising was short-lived,however First the cattle became too plentiful and the price of beef fell from about 35 a cow to 7.Soon barbed wire was invented to control grazing lands and water.The cattle were no longer as free to roam where they chose.In the 1880 is Kansas authorities refused to let Texas cattle across the border brcause of the dread Texas fever carried by the long-horned cattle.Theterrible winter of 1886-1887 killed thousands of cattle and many ranchers and cowhands found themselves out of work.Some went to work for sheep rancher:others entered different occupations.A few cowhands on at the old ranches to struggle through the hard times,and a few invested in small ranches of their own