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Rangelands, 50% of the earth's land surface, produce a renewable resource of cellulose in biomass that is uniquely converted by ruminant livestock into animal protein for human consumption. Globally, increasing livestock numbers are driven by increasing incomes in emerging economies of Africa and Asia. Although livestock production systems have benefited from many technological (e.g., artificial insemination, growth hormones) and conceptual (e.g., ecosystem engineering, targeted grazing, distribution of livestock grazing across landscapes) advances already, sustainable intensification is needed to meet global animal protein production demand by 2050 while also reducing the environmental footprint of livestock. Increasing "more intensive" type production systems that incorporate grains and improved feed efficiency will reduce time from birth to harvest, use fewer resources and have lower greenhouse gas emissions per unit of animal protein than "less intensive" or "extensive" systems. Intensification of rangeland systems can occur by interseeding legumes and/or use of bioenergy protein by-products for increased dietary protein, developing forage "hot-spots" on the landscape, adaptive grazing management in response to a changing climate, improving fertility to increase birth rates, and reducing livestock losses due to disease and pest pressure. Rapidly emerging DNA and RNA genetic tools, combined with the completion of genomic sequencing for livestock, provide capacity for advancement of genomic selection programs. In summary, livestock production systems must intensify their activities by introducing knowledge and technology that not only assures sustainable production, but also through transparent efforts that increase societal confidence in the quality of animal protein for consumers.