Which of the following issues was not a factor that encouraged ranchers and cowboys to lead cattle drives through the Indian Territory?

Ranchers drove cattle north through Indian Territory to reach Kansas railheads and sell them to buyers in the East and Midwest. Demand for beef increased after the Civil War, making cattle drives profitable. They were not driving cattle to supply empty ranches in Texas; the drives generally carried Texas cattle north to market.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.