What was the primary conflict between farmers and cattle ranchers in the West?

The primary conflict between farmers and cattle ranchers in the West was indeed centered around fencing practices, particularly the use of barbed wire. As settlers began to establish farms, they utilized barbed wire to enclose their land, protect their crops, and manage livestock. This fencing disrupted the open range that cattle ranchers relied on for grazing their herds freely. The implementation of barbed wire effectively altered the landscape and traditional practices of ranching, leading to disputes over access to land and resources.

The tension escalated as boundaries were enforced by fences, sometimes resulting in confrontations between farmers and ranchers, who had different priorities regarding land use. Farmers focused on cultivation and maximizing crop production, while ranchers were primarily interested in grazing their cattle over vast stretches of land. This conflict over land use, driven by differing agricultural practices and the emerging technologies like barbed wire, highlighted the broader economic shifts and challenges of Western expansion during that period.