Final answer:
The cattle boom ended due to overgrazing, the invention of barbed wire that led to fenced ranges, severe weather conditions, and the shift to a mass production system facilitated by commercial meatpacking plants.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cattle boom came to an end due to a combination of factors including overgrazing, severe weather, and changes in land use driven by technological innovations such as barbed wire. The introduction of barbed wire in 1874 signaled the decline of the open range, which allowed ranchers to fence in large areas of land for their exclusive use, preventing free-grazing by itinerant ranchers. This, along with the invention of commercial meatpacking plants by businessmen like Philip Armour and Gustavus Swift, altered the industry from individual drives to a more industrial mass production system. The fenced infrastructure caused environmental damage, as no one was held accountable for overgrazing. Furthermore, during the harsh winters of 1887 and 1888, fenced-in herds suffered major losses, which was a significant blow to the industry. The transition from the open range to private landownership resulted in conflicts, such as the fence wars in Texas. As the nineteenth century came to a close, the cattle drives were replaced by a modern cattle industry focused on mass production and efficiency.