Stockyards

Stockyards are large facilities where livestock are gathered, penned, bought, and shipped. They serve as markets and logistical hubs that connect ranchers and farmers with meatpackers, and they are typically situated along rail lines or major highways to facilitate movement of animals and carcasses. Within the yards, animals are held in pens, inspected, weighed, and routed to the appropriate buyers or processing facilities. Live auctions and private treaty sales occur on site, and arrangements for loading onto railcars or trucks are coordinated through yard operations.

Historically, stockyards rose with the expansion of rail transportation in the United States during the late 19th century. Chicago's Union Stock Yards, opened in 1865, became the world's largest cattle, hog, and sheep market and helped standardize pricing and meatpacking logistics. Other major yards developed in cities such as Kansas City, Fort Worth, and Sioux City, serving regional producers and feeding the growing national packer industry. The system supported the growth of large meatpacking firms that owned adjacent plants and controlled much of the processing pipeline.

Operations and impact include linking producers with packers, enabling long-distance shipment of animals, and shaping practices related to weighing, grading, branding, and carcass handling. Stockyards also influenced urban development, labor organization, and regional economies, contributing to the emergence of meatpacking districts and related infrastructure.

Decline and present: Beginning in the mid-20th century, consolidation of meatpacking, changes in transportation, and shifts in production reduced live-animal trading at many yards. Some yards were closed or redeveloped, while others persist as historic districts or continue limited trading, tourism, or logistical functions. The Fort Worth Stockyards, for example, remains a historic district and tourist attraction preserving stockyard-era architecture and heritage.