Livestock

Prairie travelers

NPS Photo

There would have been no life at Bent’s Fort without livestock. The fort and Bent, St. Vrain & Company was dependent upon domestic animals in virtually every area of operations. Draft animals were used to maintain an exchange with major trade centers and brought goods to the fort from widely scattered outposts. Cattle, poultry and other animals provided a steady supply of food for fort employees, as well as for travelers on the Santa Fe Trail. At certain times of year large herds of animals could be seen in and around the Fort walls.

The presence of domesticated animals at Bent's Fort was extremely important. Animals provided transportation, foodstuffs, entertainment, and were highly marketable. Within the Plains Indian societies, wealth was often measured in terms of horses owned; and tremendous prestige was bestowed upon individuals who were successful in capturing, trading for, or stealing horses and mules. In both Mexico and the United States, the breeding of and use of steers and oxen, horses, mules, and donkeys as pack, draft and riding animals was critical to freighting and agricultural success, particularly in New Mexico and Missouri. A number of food items were taken from domestic animals at Bent's Fort. Meat, milk, eggs, butter, cheese, and lard were all standard fare on the American frontier.

Contemporary writings frequently refer to animals as either Mexican or American. In the case of horses, mention is also made of Indian or prairie stock. We may be certain that these various "geographic breeds" each displayed a particular size, general conformity, gate, and disposition that set them apart from all others. When talking about domesticated animals at Bent's Fort, research seems to indicate that various "crosses" and "mixes" frequently occurred. Ancestry of these different animals can be traced to Spain, Africa, Arabia, India, China and the Far East, middle Europe, and England.In the United States, certain regions were early established as centers for particular animal breeds. Kentucky horses, Missouri mules, Ohio hogs, and Rhode Island chickens are four cases in point.