Evaluating the effectiveness of forage-livestock balance is crucial for the rational management of grasslands and the sustainable development of grassland livestock. In this study, we utilized remote sensing technology to obtain data on vegetation characteristics and established baseline vegetation indicators based on expert opinions. The effectiveness of forage-livestock balance implementation was assessed, and the reliability of this strategy was explored using traditional methods. Additionally, we developed a comprehensive forage-livestock balance index (CFBI) to evaluate effectiveness at the village scale. The results indicated that, based on remote sensing inversion, some grasslands in Shandan County, Gansu Province, were overgrazed in 2022, but the overgrazed area and severely overgrazed area accounted for only 1.09% of the total area. There were significant differences in the CFBI among the grasslands in various administrative villages (range, -10.91 to -3.72). The remote sensing-based method for assessing the effectiveness of forage-livestock balance provides scientific evidence for the dynamic adjustment of grazing and non-grazing zones in Shandan County.