Old-Fashioned Cattle Drive Helps Reduce Fire Danger In Douglas County
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) -- There was an old-fashioned cattle drive in Douglas County over the weekend. On Sunday, cowboys and cowgirls worked at Sterling Ranch to move more than 40 head of cattle from their summer pastures to their winter homes.
Officials say the traditional move helps reduce the fire danger.
The cattle moved through Sterling Ranch, a 3,400 acre housing community.
"Cattle drives are a longtime western tradition and grazing of cattle is a key part of the strategy of building a robust ecosystem," officials with Sterling Ranch stated. "By grazing the land, fire risk is reduced as excessive grass fuel is eliminated."
Rotating the areas where cattle graze also advances a healthier ecosystem in several other ways.
"The hooves of the cattle aerate the land and the manure fertilizes the land," officials noted.
It was also good fun for people living in the area, who got to see the cattle on the move, right outside their own back door.
MORE PHOTOS: Traditional Cattle Drive Moves Through Neighborhood In Douglas County
