Cattlemen did not like sheep because they believed the smaller animals with their sharply pointed hoofs cut the range grasses and made the ground stink so that cattle wouldn't use it. ... But certainly some ranchers saw sheep as an opportunity, another way to turn grass into a commodity in the form of meat or wool.

Why did sheep and cattle ranchers clash?

Although some of the confrontations undoubtedly grew out of mere disputes over land and water rights, the main cause was the propensity of sheep to overgraze the range, sometimes making the lands unusable to cattle herds for months. Moreover, sheep polluted watering places used by cattle.

Can you raise cattle and sheep together?

Industry research has shown time and again that not only can sheep and cattle graze together, but also that this type of grazing program can improve the quality of your pasture – particularly if you're grazing the ideal number of animals in a well-designed multi-species grazing program.