Grazing Systems and Rangeland Management

AgNext’s grazing and rangeland management research brings together transdisciplinary teams to address complex challenges at the intersection of livestock production and natural resource stewardship. Through collaborative, co-designed solutions, this work supports economic opportunities for producers, enhances food security, and promotes responsible management of ecosystems.

AgNext Grazing Systems and Rangeland Management Publications:

"Does Initial Body Size Influence Weight Gain of Stocker Steers During the Growing Season in Semiarid Western Great Plains Rangeland?"

Justin Derner, David Augustine, J. Gonzalo Irisarri, John Ritten, EJ Raynor. Rangeland and Ecology Management, November 2025.

"Steer Growth Performance and Enteric Gas Flux Across Backgrounding Phases in the Western Great Plains"

Inés Mesa, Justin Derner, Mark Enns, Larry Kuehn, Melissa Johnston, Sean Kearney, Sara Place, EJ Raynor, John Ritten, Anna Shadbolt, Kimberly Stackhouse-Lawson, Juan Vargas, Pedro Carvalho. Rangeland and Ecology Management, November 2025.

"Incorporating virtual fencing to manage yearling steers on extensive rangelands"

EJ Raynor, Anna Shadbolt, Melissa Johnston, David Augustine, Justin Derner, Sean Kearney, John Ritten, Nathan DeLay, Pedro Carvalho, Juan Vargas, Sara Place, and Kimberly Stackhouse-Lawson. Frontiers, September 2025.

"Accounting for Diurnal Variation in Enteric Methane Emissions from Growing Steers Under Grazing Conditions"

EJ Raynor, Pedro Carvalho, Juan Vargas, Edilane Martins, Willian Souza, Anna Shadbolt, Afrin Jannat, Sara Place, and Kimberly Stackhouse-Lawson. Grasses, March 2025.

"The economic fundamentals of virtual fencing compared to traditional fencing"

Dana Hoag, Ryan Reuter, Daniel Mooney, Jeff Vitale, John Ritten, Nathan DeLay, Paul Evangelista, Anthony Vorster. Rangelands, February 2025.

"Respuesta productiva de Cenchrus clandestinus (Hochst. ex Chiov.) Morrone a la fertilización, la altura residual y el momento de defoliación"

Yesid Avellaneda-Avellaneda, Edgar Augusto Mancipe-Muñoz, Franklin Giovanny Mayorga-Cubillos, Javier Castillo-Sierra, Juan de Jesús Vargas-Martinez. Pastures and Forages, October 2024.

"The LTAR Grazing Land Common Experiment at the Central Plains Experimental Range: Collaborative adaptive rangeland management"

David Augustine, Justin Derner, Lauren Porensky, David Hoover, John Ritten, Sean Kearney, Liwang Ma, Dannele Peck, Hailey Wilmer, the CARM Stakeholder Group. Journal of Environmental Quality, July 2024.

"Energy and Protein Requirements of Growing Lambs in Colombian Highlands"

Yesid Avellaneda, Edgar Mancipe, Juan Vargas, Diego Manriquez. Animals, July 2024.

"Secondary production of the central rangeland region of the United States"

EJ Raynor, Justin Derner, Melannie Hartman, Christopher Dorich, William Parton, John Hendrickson, Keith Harmoney, Jameson Brennan, Clenton Owensby, Nicole Kaplan, Susan Lutz, David Hoover, David Augustine. Ecological Applications, May 2024.

"Does Drought Intensify the Effects of Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs on Livestock Production and Net Revenue in Semiarid Rangelands?"

David Augustine, John Ritten, David Hoover, Justin Derner. Rangeland and Ecology Management, May 2024.

"Snapshot of Enteric Methane Emissions from Stocker Cattle Grazing Extensive Semiarid Rangelands"

EJ Raynor, Ashley Schilling-Hazlett, Sara Place, Juan Vargas, Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, Logan Thompson, Melissa Johnston, Tamarah Jorns, Matthew Beck, Larry Kuehn, Justin Derner. Rangeland Ecology & Management, March 2024.

"Adaptive multi-paddock grazing management reduces diet quality of yearling cattle in shortgrass steppe"

Tamarah Jorns, Derek Scasta, Justin Derner, David Augustine, Lauren Porensky, Edward Raynor and the CARM Stakeholder Group. The Rangeland Journal, February 2024.

"Principles for successful livestock grazing management on western US rangelands"

Kevin Jablonski, Justin Derner, Derek Bailey, Kirk Davies, Paul Meiman, Leslie Roche, Eric Thacker, Lance Vermeire, Kim Stackhouse-Lawson. Rangelands, December 2023.

"Dynamic Plant–Herbivore Interactions between Bison Space Use and Vegetation Heterogeneity in a Tallgrass Prairie"

Bohua Ling, Edward J. Raynor, Anthony Joern, and Douglas G. Goodin. MDPI, November, 2023.

"Supplying ecosystem services on US rangelands"

David D. Briske, Steven R. Archer, Emily Burchfield, William Burnidge, Justin D. Derner, Hannah Gosnell, Jerry Hatfield, Clare E. Kazanski, Mona Khalil, Tyler J. Lark, Pamela Nagler, Osvaldo Sala, Nathan F. Sayre, and Kim Stackhouse-Lawson. Nature Sustainability, September 2023.

"A ranching economic analysis of ventenata (Ventenata dubia) control in northeast Wyoming"

Marshall Hart, John Ritten, and Brian Mealor. Invasive Plant Science and Management, April 2023.

"Practical considerations for adaptive strategies by US grazing land managers with a changing climate"

Justin D. Derner, Hailey Wilmer, Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, Sara Place, Mark Boggess. Agrosystems, Geosciences, and Environment, March 2023.

"Financial barriers and opportunities for conservation adoption on U.S. rangelands: A region-wide, ranch-level economic assessment of NRCS-sponsored Greater Sage-grouse habitat conservation programs"

Anna T. Maher, Micolas E. Quintana Ashwell, John A. Tanaka, John P. Ritten, Kristie A. Maczko. Journal of Environmental Management, March 2023.

"Grazing management practices for grassland bird breeding habitat in the shortgrass steppe"

EJ Raynor, Kevin Jablonski, Justin Derner, Lauren Porensky, David Hoover, David Augustine. Colorado State Extension, December 2022.

"Balancing ecosystem service outcomes at the ranch-scale in shortgrass steppe: The role of grazing management"

Edward J. Raynor, Justin D. Derner, David J. Augustine, Kevin E. Jablonski, Lauren M. Porensky, John Ritten, David L. Hoover, Julie Elliott. Rangelands, December 2022.

Evaluating Prairie Dog–Cattle Competition from the Perspective of a Ranching Enterprise in the Western Great Plains: Economic Analysis of Potential Effects on Long-Term Profitability

Lewis Crow, Lauren M. Porensky, David Augustine, John Ritten, Christoper T. Bastian, Steven I. Paisley. Rangeland Ecology & Management, November 2022.

Meet Our Grazing Systems and Rangeland Management Team:

EJ Raynor, Ph.D.

Research Scientist

Anna Shadbolt

Grazing Management Outreach and Research Coordinator

Sara Place, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Feedlot Systems

Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, Ph.D.

Director

John Ritten, Ph.D.

Agricultural Economist and Extension Specialist

Juan Vargas, Ph.D.

Sustainable Beef Cattle Systems Postdoctoral Fellow

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