Get reliable rangeland science

As part of a recent effort to chart a research agenda for future directions of usable science for rangeland sustainability, issues and potential research questions related to and involving rangeland animals were discussed. The resource group focusing on rangeland animals consisted of 6 members who represented natural resource consultants, ranchers, livestock industry organizations, land grant universities, and non-profit conservation organizations. The rangeland animal resource group identified and discussed 36 issues which were then presented to, and prioritized by a larger group consisting of university and agency researchers, public and private land managers, producers, non-governmental organizations, and representatives of funding agencies and organizations. Proactive drought planning and matching management and production systems to the rangeland resource were ranked as the two highest priority issues. Following the ranking exercise, potential research questions and outreach efforts were identified for each issue. Proactive drought planning could be strengthened by identification, synthesis and presentation of appropriate rangeland management decisions to improve drought tolerance of rangelands. This would likely require improved understanding of effective drought and weather variation indicators, management decision triggers and management actions needed before, during and after drought. Matching management and production systems to the resource could be strengthened by clarifying the major resource characteristics that drive production system options, improving the ability to properly match animals to the resource base, more effectively demonstrating the benefits of stocking rate flexibility and helping producers implement this approach, and exploiting knowledge of animal behavior, animal distribution and stockmanship to achieve rangeland management and production goals.