Percent of available rangeland grazed by livestock

Framework / Assessment
Summary

This indicator is a measure of the availability of suitable rangeland that is grazed annually by domestic livestock, such as cattle, sheep, goats, and horses. This indicator does not intrinsically represent a biological capacity. Rather, it is an administrative and economic capacity, limited by the definition of rangelands, market forces, management decisions, laws, regulations, and planning documents. The area of rangeland grazed by livestock provides information on rangeland use patterns and is influenced by wildlife and other non-livestock commodity demands, as well as changing social and economic values.