after the civil war the cattle business expanded rapidly and the rugged. independent individuals who raised the cattle caught the interest of the entire nation. 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 1887's Kansas authorities refused to let texas cattle across the border because of the dread taxas fever carried by the long-horned cattle. the terrible winter 1866 - 1887 killed thousands of cattle and many ranches and cowhands found themselves out of work for sheep rancher other entered different occupation. a few cow hand on at the old ranches to struggle through to hard times, and a few invested i small ranches of their own.