The source region of the Yellow River is an important ecological barrier and grass-based livestock husbandry area in China. It plays a significant role in ensuring the national ecological security and improving local pastoralists’ livelihood. Since the 1970s, alpine grasslands in this region have been degraded to varying degrees under the combined influences of climate change and human activity, which has posed certain threat for local grass-based livestock husbandry, regional ecological security, and the sustainable development of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River Basin. Since 2000 the state has implemented a series of ecological protection and construction projects to curb alpine grassland degradation in the source region of the Yellow River. As expected the grassland ecological environment in this area has been gradually improved since project implementation, but the grassland degradation trend has not been effectively curbed. In order to promote the ecological protection and economic development in the source region of the Yellow River, we systematically reviewed the research, demonstration and application works in relevant fields, and summarized a regional suitable technology system for grassland ecological protection and grass-based livestock husbandry development, then established a regional coupling development model based on the optimal allocation of grass-livestock resource. Additionally, we analyzed the application effects of related conservation and development technologies based on our case studies, also we proposed suggestions for the management of degraded alpine grassland and the development of ecological grass-based livestock husbandry in this region. The paper offers a certain enlightenment to promote the grassland ecological protection and high-quality development in the source area of the Yellow River.