Sound management of beef cattle grazing in Australia's extensive tropical and sub-tropical rangelands depends on understanding how four key management factors (stocking rates, pasture resting, prescribed fire and managing grazing distribution) affect cattle production, economic returns and resource condition. We reviewed past research and identified four management principles (and associated guidelines) related to these management factors. These principles provide the basis for a sustainable livestock industry in northern Australia and, with some adaptation, to other rangeland systems in Australia and elsewhere.

Locoweeds, which belong to the genera Oxytropis and Astragalus, are an important species of poisonous legumes in the western rangelands of China, causing large economic losses. This review summarizes the species and their ecological distribution, the toxic ingredients, the poisoning mechanism of locoweeds and damage-control techniques for locoweeds. This review will provide a very important reference for controlling the poisoning disease caused by locoweeds and the effective use of control measures.

Wildfires in the northern savannas of Australia can cause substantial economic losses to pastoralists by removing extensive areas of pasture on properties, sometimes in single, catastrophic events. The results of an existing fire management program in the Kimberley Region (EcoFire) were used to calculate the potential benefit to pastoral productivity created by using prescribed burning to reduce the frequency and extent of wildfires. Although the potential benefits are large, fire management will need to be integrated with livestock management in order to ensure sustainability.

Most extensive livestock production systems in arid environments worldwide are influenced by climate, and some regions are exposed to non-climatic factors such as volcano eruption and ash deposits. We found that volcanic ash deposits in the context of a regional drought significantly affected Merino wool production and fibre quality traits in farms from North-western Patagonia, Argentina. It is argued that measures of livestock production, such as wool weight and quality, should be included in environmental monitoring systems for hazard mitigation and emergency intervention programs to support policy decision-making.

Livestock grazing is one of the primary uses of sagebrush rangelands in western North America; therefore, it is important to understand how grazing might affect habitat for native wildlife. The effects of cattle grazing on components of habitat for an uncommon animal that inhabitants sagebrush rangelands, the pygmy rabbit, which has been petitioned for endangered or threatened status in the USA, was studied and it was found that grazing influenced some, but not all aspects of the habitat of pygmy rabbits. Understanding how cattle grazing influences habitat for pygmy rabbits and other sagebrush-dependent wildlife can guide conservation and management strategies for these species on sagebrush rangelands managed under multiple-use policies.

Seven continuous stocking methods, which included annual rest periods, six extensive rotations and eight intensive rotation methods, commonly referred to as cell systems, were monitored on nine commercial beef properties across Queensland between 2006 and 2009. Across all sites there were no consistent differences in pastures, soil surface condition or grazing capacity between the three methods (continuous, extensive rotation and intensive rotation). There were within-site differences between methods in grazing capacity on four properties. At all sites the final 2 years were above average in rainfall and produced the greatest differences in pastures and soil surface condition compared with the previous 2 drought years. The information obtained allows decisions to be made on which stocking methods are most appropriate for a particular set of circumstances.

Classifying grassland is important in planning for grassland and environmental management. It is difficult, however, to classify grassland over a large area with limited time and resources. In this study, a climate-based classification system was used with a combination of spatial climate data to classify grasslands in the Gansu province, China. Twenty-six grassland classes were identified. The study demonstrated the feasibility of the method and the results provide useful information to support grassland and environmental management.

Classifying grassland is important in planning for grassland and environmental management. It is difficult, however, to classify grassland over a large area with limited time and resources. In this study, a climate-based classification system was used with a combination of spatial climate data to classify grasslands in the Gansu province, China. Twenty-six grassland classes were identified. The study demonstrated the feasibility of the method and the results provide useful information to support grassland and environmental management.

Monitoring the impact of grazing on native vegetation in Queensland is difficult due to the effect that considerable year-to-year variability in rainfall has on pasture growth. Much of the ~640 000 km² of grazed rangeland analysed between 1988 and the mid 2000s had increased levels of seasonally-adjusted cover when a dynamic reference-cover method was applied to remotely sensed ground cover. This largely automated method effectively identifies grazing effects and can be applied in other rangeland areas where a suitable Landsat archive of ground-cover exists.