The National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado, has been a diamond in the crown of cowboy life for over 100 years. It also is a reflection of the way life is changing at home on the range.
Cattle ranching is experiencing a huge shift. Suburbs are spreading farther into the county. Cattle numbers are at the lowest number since 1952. Ranchers say pastureland is harder to come by because of years of drought. Knowledgeable help is hard to find. Cattlemen no longer eyeball an animal to choose breeding, now they use technology and genetic markers. The times they are a changin’, and The New York Times tells of the change in words, video, and photographs from the stock show.
Here’s the link to the story by Dan Frosch for the New York Times.