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Grassland

All Grassland Content

Muddy field with no residual forage exhibiting signs of extreme soil erosion.

Five Range Management Principles: #4 Residual Forage

Residual forage is the amount of green leaf left after a grazing event. Understanding its importance can help producers capitalize on the symbiotic relationship that occurs when soil health is front and center on rangelands.

Producers surveying a rangeland site.

Five Range Management Principles: #1 Adaptive Management

Adaptive management is a process that livestock producers can incorporate into their operation to increase operation flexibility and adjust to changing conditions.

Rain gauge on a fence post along a well-managed rangeland area.

Five Range Management Principles: #5 Climate Ready

Understanding your ranching system is critical, and identifying anticipated soil-plant-animal responses during periods of dry, wet, or normal conditions will enable you to develop climate-ready practices. Learn how to get started today!

Young calves with cattle herd in spring.

Selecting a Calving Season Based on Matching Nutritional Needs and Resources

Choosing the calving season is a complex and highly individual decision for each beef cattle producer. A primary consideration in pasture-based cow-calf operations is choosing a calving season that will best match the forage supply to forage demand.

A tiger swallowtail drinking nectar from a purple blazing star flower.

Five Range Management Principles: #3 Ecosystem Biodiversity

Milkweed can help make rangelands a better environment for both cattle and neighboring plants and animals by having a shielding effect on companion plants, preventing erosion and accelerating the decomposition process, whole also providing nectar, habitat and organic material for ecosystem services.

Three producers discussing a grazing plan in a pasture.

Five Range Management Principles: #2 Creating a Grazing Plan

Creating a grazing management plan can be overwhelming. Learn the basic steps for outlining a plan, along with several resources to help identify the right strategy for your operation.

Group of youth participants at rangeland and soil days.

38th Annual Rangeland and 17th Annual Soils Days Held in Murdo

August 15, 2022

SDSU Extension, along with the Jones County Conservation District and the South Dakota Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), hosted the 38th Annual Rangeland and 17th Annual Soils Days June 14-15, 2022, in Murdo, South Dakota.

Canada thistle growing in a pasture.

Noxious Weeds of South Dakota

Pictorial reference guide of noxious weeds in South Dakota

A low-gradient prairie river that is very meandering.

Understanding Western South Dakota Prairie Streams

This document provides information and guidance for landowners and land managers in western South Dakota who are managing small intermittent streams.

2021 grazing school attendees.

Eastern Grazing School to be Held July 26-28

July 12, 2022

The South Dakota Grassland Coalition, through a partnership with SDSU Extension and others, will host the Eastern South Dakota Grazing School July 26-28, 2022 near Marvin, South Dakota.