Garfield County News | 1955-02-24 | Page 90 | Cattle Industry Contributes Much to Cortez Economy

Cattle Industry Contributes Much to Cortez Economy There are a lot of good things to eat in southwestern Colorado but topping them all Is the beet that is grown there. Almost 15,000 beef cattle are now grazing in the fields of the area, according to an estimate based on the 1950 cattle census and normal herd growth. Most of the cattle are white faced Hcrefords, best suited to conditions in the southwestern corner of Colorado. There are a few other breeds being raised there,, but Hcrefords are predominant. Excellent grazing pastures during the summer months and an ample amount of hay and low-elevation pasture during winter months make beef cattle raising one of the major industries of the district. During summer months the cattle are taken to the lower elevations of the San Juan National Forest, where the nutritive grass adds to the weight of the animals. When fall and winter arrive, the cattle are moved to winter ranges In still lower elevations. Many cattle are wintered in McElmo Canon just south of Cortez, affording protection from severe cold and storms. According to old-timers around Cortez, Dolores. Dove Creek, and Durango, the cattle Industry is the pioneer of the territory, originated when cattlemen pushed to the very edge of the Indian reservation to establish grazing grounds. In those days, the story goes, cattle roamed freely over the forests and the rich valleys, and Into what Is now known as the Ralnbelt area northwest of the Cortez district. In the first days of settlement of the district by the cattlemen, beef cattle were driven through Disappointment country near Lone Cone, or over Lizard Head Pass, . to Placcrvllle, from where they were shipped to eastern markets. Placcrvllle was once one of the largest cattle-shipping points In the U. S.