The use of easily accessible information to forecast when standing forage may lack nutrients to sustain cattle production could be valuable to the ranching community.

Our study was designed to determine if forage crude protein and acid detergent fiber could be reasonably predicted using precipitation, season, and temperature.

In south Texas, monthly precipitation in the fall accounted for 63% of the variation in crude protein and 73% of the variation in acid detergent fiber.

A better understanding of how forage nutritive value changes over the year can improve strategic supplementation efforts.

Toxic larkspur (Delphinium species) cause large economic losses from cattle deaths, increased management costs, and reduced utilization of pastures and rangelands.

We recommend that you obtain a risk assessment for larkspur on your range before turning out the cattle. Submit samples to USDA–ARS Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory for chemical evaluation at no charge. Information is available at:  http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=54-28-20-00.

Selection of cattle resistant to larkspur poisoning could reduce cattle losses and improve rangeland utilization.

The use of genetic-based herd management decisions can provide a tool for livestock producers to improve their profit margin and enhance the economic sustainability of rural American communities.

Reducing atmospheric CO₂ through enhanced terrestrial carbon storage may help slow or reverse the rate of global climate change. However, information on how climate change in the South-west might affect the balance between CO₂ up-take and loss on semiarid rangelands is not easily accessible to land managers.

We summarize studies that focus on key components of carbon exchange across the warm deserts of North America to determine if common trends exist that can be used in management.

Management strategies that increase carbon sequestration or decrease carbon loss are especially important. Thus managers will need to know what management practices are likely to promote carbon storage or minimize losses during critical time periods.

Pipelines across the eastern Montana–western North Dakota portion of the northern Great Plains are proliferating due to continuing oil and gas development.

Pipelines are linear disturbances reclaimed after construction, and they impact a large number of livestock producers.

While livestock are usually removed from pastures during the construction phase, proper reclamation and revegetation paired with informed grazing management may return pastures to use quickly and profitably.

Research is needed to determine how the simultaneous seeding of an annual cover crop with desired perennial grasses can enhance livestock production while ensuring the success of perennial grass forage species.