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.

A group of people stands in a pasture being taught plant identification

SDSU Extension co-hosts successful 9th annual Rosebud Range Workshop

August 07, 2026

The ninth annual Rosebud Range Workshop was held on July 15, 2026, at the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Ranch, and event organizers lauded it as a successful and productive event.

Two black beef cows and one black-and-white beef cow in the foreground.

Forage-Based Heifer Development Systems

Forage-based heifer development systems offer producers a practical opportunity to reduce input costs while maintaining acceptable reproductive performance. By effectively utilizing available forage resources, heifers can be developed efficiently with reduced reliance on harvested feeds.

a group of black cattle out in a green grassy pasture.

Designing a Grazing Plan That Guides Decisions

A factsheet to help you build an effective grazing plan.

Red angus cattle gathered in a feedlot in winter.

Livestock

South Dakota is home to a dynamic livestock industry.

Sunny sky over pasture at the Cottonwood Mesonet station.

Considerations for Pasture and Herd Health in a Mixed-Precipitation Year

Planning for drought can quickly be replaced with a false sense of security when precipitation does arrive in the middle of the growing and grazing seasons, but the long-term sustainability of your pastures and herd depends on timely, flexible management.

2026 Rangeland and Soil Days Contest brings 115 youth to Belle Fourche

June 30, 2026

South Dakota State University Extension is pleased to announce that 115 youth participated in the 42nd annual Rangeland and 21st annual Soil Days contests on June 9-10, 2026, in Belle Fourche.

a group of youth in a grassy pasture

Range and Soil Judging

SDSU Extension works collaboratively with local conservation districts, the natural resources conservation service, and the South Dakota Society for Range Management to facilitate the annual Rangeland and Soil Days event for youth.

A woman stands behind a white pickup's tailgate talking to a group of people in an open pasture

Save the date for Rosebud Range Workshop in July 2026

June 25, 2026

Save the date for this year’s Rosebud Range Workshop, which is July 15, 2026, at the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Ranch by Rosebud.

Multiple weed species growing in a grassy area.

Noxious Weeds Should Be Closely Monitored for Management

Pasture, rangelands and rights-of-way are starting to turn yellow, purple, or even a mix of both due to rapid growth of noxious weeds. Now is the time to implement management tactics to ensure the weeds do not outcompete desirable vegetation and invade adjacent land.