Set clear goals.

Every successful business follows some kind of process for setting goals. Agroecosystem managers with livestock should consider: how they want to spend their time, what they want for their families, what they want to accomplish in life. Then, they should consider how their range/pasture and other resources can contribute to those goals. When applying goal-setting principles to ranching, landowners should realize above all else that every ranch is different. Each must be managed according to the needs of the natural resource base as well as personal goals. Goals help people stay focused and proactive, creating a clear path to results instead of allowing a shotgun approach to vague possibilities. They clarify what is important and provide a basis to evaluate decisions and actions.

Evaluate your resources.

Once a manager has established goals, the next step is to evaluate all resources, including: natural resources (soil, water, range, climate), crops, livestock, wildlife, equipment, finances, and, most importantly, the people involved. A written list of goals and resources helps producers make enterprise decisions such as:
• Which competitive advantage does the business enjoy, given the available resources?
• Would sheep fit the range better than cattle and be more profitable if they were rented out to manage weeds?
• Can we improve marketing?

Understand the plants and their needs.

Range plants – the grasses, forbs and shrubs that predominate on arid landscapes – have adapted to the seasonality of rainfall and temperatures. On warmer rangelands that typically receive summer rains – the Great Plains and the Southwest – the warm-season native plants mostly grow in July and August. In the Great Basin and along the Rocky Mountain Front where most of the moisture occurs before July 1, cool-season plants predominate, and 98 percent of the forage production occurs by the end of June. By being aware of the plants growing on the land, and what they need to thrive, managers can plan to take advantage of each species’ niche. Regardless of the season of most growth, all range plants need to be grazed at the correct time and experience periodic rest from grazing during the growing season to remain healthy and productive. The take-home message is to consider such factors as plant physiology, climate, season and the producer’s goals, and develop a plan for grazing that will sustain both the plant community and the herd.

Graze with various livestock species where possible.

Using different species of animals to graze range and pasture has a number of potential benefits including: increased forage production, reduced fire fuel loads, better wildlife habitat and noxious weed control.

Plan for drought.

Drought conditions that have persisted across western rangelands have brought home the critical need for management strategies during times without rain. For many, their main drought strategy is to keep the number of livestock stable at all costs. This crisis mentality often leads to degraded rangelands, lower birth rates, fewer pounds to sell and financial stress. Instead, a more sustainable approach is to protect the soil while maintaining a modest income over the long run. It takes ongoing effort to build organic matter in the soil and vigorous plants that can withstand long periods of drought.

Monitor range/pasture vegetation.

There is probably no other single action that will keep rangeland and pastures healthier than monitoring vegetation. Measuring annual livestock use, documenting climatic and other potential impacts to the vegetation and watching the long-term trend in range health will do more to direct management decisions than any other use of a rancher’s time. Some simple monitoring practices that ranchers can implement themselves include: repeat photo points, identifying 8 to 10 key species, and knowing indicator species for the plant communities for which they have permanent photo points established.

Protect soil and water resources including streams and riparian zones.

There are several specific management techniques that contribute to soil and water protection on pasture and rangelands:
Reduce stock density.
Reduce grazing frequency.
Increase rest between grazing periods.
Provide off-site attractants.