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The Virginia City Bank refuses to lend money to a group of Sierra Nevade ranchers who lost most of their stock during a particularly brutal winter. Ben Cartwright tries to come to the aid of the imperiled ranchers by bringing in a new breed of cattle from Montana, a breed capable of surviving the cold. Leading the cattle to Sawtooth, Ben conducts an experiment that lasts through the winter months and into early spring. On the verge of success, Ben is threatened with sabotage from a ruthless rival, forcing the Cartwright patriarch to place his trust in mercurial ranch hand Howie Landis (Glenn Corbett). Written by John Hawkins, Robert Pirosh, and Jack Rummler, "Winter Kill" originally aired on March 28, 1971.