Pasture

Pastures and rangelands are a valuable resource for owners of equine and livestock. Our SDSU Extension team can help you maximize their nutritional value, overall health and longevity by providing research-based best management practices customized to the climate, use and geographical location of your pasture or rangelands.

These grasslands are also home to pollinators and wildlife. When landowners invest in their pasture and rangelands, they invest in one of South Dakota’s great resources. 

Upcoming Events

Small group of black cattle grazing a grassland area.
Mar 19

Tools for Managing Cattle Nutrition and Preparing for the Grazing Season Cattle HQ Live

Join SDSU Extension's beef team to gain valuable insights to improve the health, productivity and profitability of your herd. This month we will discuss online tools to help with managing cattle nutrition and preparing for the grazing season.

Beef cattle grazing summer pasture.
Jul 16

The Value of Plant Diversity for Land and Livestock Cattle HQ Live

Join SDSU Extension's beef team to gain valuable insights to improve the health, productivity and profitability of your herd. This month, we will discuss the value of plant diversity for the benefits of pasture health and grazing livestock nutrition.

Related Topics

Pasture, Range

Related Content

Rolling Rangeland with patches of snow with a wire snow catch fence on the right.

Reading the Range in Winter: What Dormant Season Clues Reveal About Spring

For range and grazing management, winter is one of the most revealing times of the year. With a few hours in each pasture, managers can gather a season’s worth of insight and set themselves up for a more-resilient grazing year. 

Black and white scan of Cottonwood Field Station soil map.

Range Roundup: Long-Term Grazing Records Can Guide Future Management

For nearly 80 years, researchers at the Cottonwood Field Station have monitored how different stocking rates have shaped plant communities. Today, these records are being compared with modern data to help us better understand how rangelands respond to long-term grazing management.

Black cow standing in winter pasture.

Winter Pasture Report: How Winter Moisture Shapes Spring Grazing Decisions

While many people are happy to welcome a mild winter devoid of typical South Dakota blizzards, a lack of moisture is concerning as we look ahead to spring.