Range

All Range Content

An orange plastic hoop placed around a portion of tall grass on a range to provide a measurement.

You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Measure: Range Record Keeping

Range record keeping helps detect and demonstrate landscape changes that have a direct impact on your ability to maintain or grow your herd.

Vast, rolling rangeland with spring plant growth.

SDSU Extension invites public to 2026 SD Grasslands Summit

February 05, 2026

South Dakota State University Extension is inviting everyone interested in grasslands to attend the 2026 South Dakota Grasslands Summit on March 3-4 in Mitchell.

A herd of cattle gather around a stock pond on a vast, lush grassland. Courtesy: USDA [CC BY 2.0]

Weed Control: Pasture and Range

There are many undesirable plants or invasive plant species in South Dakota's 24 million acres of native and tame pasture range. This guide provides a summary of different herbicide suggestions and uses.

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.

A group of youth and adults stand in a grassy pasture

Dedicated educators help South Dakota youth succeed nationally

January 20, 2026

In May, South Dakota sent 84 youth to the National Land and Range Judging Contest in El Reno, Oklahoma. Out of the 34 states that competed, only Texas came close to matching those numbers with 72 participants.

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.

Red angus cattle gathered in a feedlot in winter.

Livestock

South Dakota is home to a dynamic livestock industry.

Vast, rolling rangeland near the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Pasture

Pastures and rangelands are a valuable resource for owners of equine and livestock.

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.