Native warm‑season grasses once dominated landscapes across the U.S., evolving under centuries of heat, drought and weather extremes. Their efficiency, resilience and low-input needs offer cattle producers a powerful forage option.

Doug Lathem and Chad Schoonover weren’t trying to prove any kind of point when they made the decision to convert their farming and beef cattle operation near Dalhart, in the Texas Panhandle, to organic production. But when they sat down and took a good, long look at their resources, operating costs and market, it became clear: If they wanted to give the next generation a shot at coming back and making a living on the place, the conventional route wasn’t going to cut it.

John Moes has dedicated 38 years to developing his feedlot just south of Florence, South Dakota, where he combines innovation, environmental stewardship and strategic expansion, all fueled by his passion for cattle and land management. 

Nestled just north and east of some of Alberta’s most stunning scenery is Soderglen Ranch, where cattle act like they’ve belonged on the terrain for thousands of years.

Resiliency can be interpreted as the ability to withstand or recover from disturbances in grazing systems. This can include resilience to natural disasters, but it also includes the ability of perennial forages to recover from grazing.

Greg and Lynn Gardner purchased the ranch in 1990. Today, along with their daughter Brittany and her husband, Wacey Cathey, they manage a cow-calf business on approximately 28,500 acres, which includes their deeded land along with neighboring private, state and tribal leases.

While we carefully select species to plant in our fields and utilize as cover crops or plan a total mixed ration, many ranchers do not know the primary grass species being consumed by their livestock.