What development hurt the profitability of the cattle business?

The decline of free-range herding (open space grazing for cattle) hurt the profitability of the cattle business. Population growth and pressure of grazeland has forced farmers to obtain food for their cattle, rather than letting them graze over open spaces at no cost to the farmer. There are also sanitation costs associated with keeping cattle in a more confined space. These costs affect the profitability of the industry.