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One hundred eighty six Angus-cross yearling steers (approximately 307 kg) annually are allocated to one of four treatments. Treatments consist of different levels of prairie dog occurrence and include: 1) 0%, 2) 18%, 3) 40%, and 4) 75% colonization of the pasture by prairie dog colonies. Each pasture is approximately 200 ha in size, with both natural and well water provided ad libitum. Stocking rates were calculated in year 1 to achieve approximately 50% utilization of the available forage, therefore pastures are not stocked with equal quantities of steers (treatments 0, 18, 40, and 75% stocked with 75, 55, 45, and 17 steers, respectively). The grazing period begins approximately June 1, ending by October 15. Steers are weighed (2-day weights) at the beginning and end of the grazing period, and once mid-period to evaluate health and livestock performance. Following the end of the grazing period, approximately 50% of the yearling steers are transported to the NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center and placed in a finishing feedlot for additional research. Research activities in the finishing phase have focused on increasing the forage inclusion in finishing rations and the evaluation of particle size in forage based rations. Additionally, a May calving Angus-based cow herd is being developed on the project's pastures that have prairie dog colonization. Following calving, cow/calf pairs graze the native mixed-grass prairie until weaning in October. After weaning cows return to the native prairie and graze until winter weather prevents grazing. Cows are fed during the winter months via bale grazing of alfalfa/grass round bales until spring turnout on native prairie. The long-term goal of the cow/calf and yearling system is to provide an example of a “birth-to-plate” cattle operation that results in a beef product for local consumption, aiding economic development as well as human health.