Stocking rate is an important management factor in grazing management. The stocking rate defines utilization and ultimately grazing pressure, which affects grassland sustainability. Grassland sustainability is partly defined by its species composition and ultimately by its productivity. These attributes are unique for specific plant communities and the effect of stocking rate must be established for each in order to understand the community response to grazing and to determine its carrying capacity. Information exists on the effects of stocking rate on livestock production in the Stipa breviflora Griseb. Desert Steppe (Wei et al. 2000) but its effects on the plant community is not well understood. Therefore, we conducted a study to determine the effects of stocking rate on the species composition and productivity of that community.