NE Area Agronomy Specialist Understanding Fescue Brian C. Pugh NE Area Agronomy Specialist

Tall Fescue Introduced from Europe in the late 1800’s Identified in E. KY in 1931 Public release in 1943 Dominant cool season perennial in SE and Midwest

Fescue Adaptation! Prefers tight wet soils where summer rainfall is limited! Droughty summer soils will be the limiting factor on its western range. Persistence increases in shaded areas – Pecan orchards. Shattuck, OK???

So, You Have KY-31 Fescue (Common version) Horrible! You have to kill it out or all your cows feet will fall off. Your calves won’t gain weight if fescue is present. Cows typically won’t rebreed on fescue. Fescue is poor quality grass. Cows won’t really graze it because it’s always big and rank

So, You Have KY-31 Fescue (Brian’s positive version) Congratulations! You have the best adapted cool season perennial grass for Oklahoma. Tolerates very acidic soils! Tolerates extreme grazing pressure High quality during winter Is responsive to N inputs Can make 2 tons/acre in fall Additional 3 tons/A in spring Helped make MO #2 C/C state in US!

There’s a Fungus Among Us Fungus forms a symbiotic relationship with the plant Adds extreme tolerance to drought, overgrazing, soil acidity Fungus produces alkaloids that are toxic to grazing animals Ergovaline is the most common Endophyte friendly fescue varieties do not have this problem! Seed heads have the highest concentration, then stems, leaves lowest.

Let’s review some of the “new” options

So, Why Even Have KY-31? Smart management can minimize issues Cool Season Perennial! Capitalize on Fall & Spring rainfall. Instantly convert rain into usable forage Better quality than most hay tests. Bottomline: If you are a producer with a WS grazing system, I can save you $1 per cow for every day you graze fescue in the winter.

Fall Fertilized Fescue 2001 Cherokee Craig Delaware Mayes Muskogee Nowata Okfuskee Ottawa Wagoner Washington Unfert. Lbs/A 865 1108 778 885 1117 659 1329 1382 723 Fertilized Lbs/A 3803 2174 2111 2281 3201 2419 3733 4520 5480 1574 Increase Lbs/A 2938 1067 1333 1396 2084 1760 2404 3138 4596 851 Average increase – 2157 lbs/A

January 29, 2014 – Strip Grazing Fescue Let’s review some of the “new” options

“Feeding” Stockpiled Fescue – Time to Feed Hay “Feeding” Stockpiled Fescue – 74 days of strip grazing (Mar 16 , 2015)

Let’s review some of the “new” options

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Jan 29, 2014 Feb 17, 2018

Let’s review the “new” fescue option

Let’s review some of the “new” options

Endophyte Friendly Fescue (example: Max Q) Fungus that infects the plant has few or no toxic effects on grazing animals Still retains its drought tolerance, insect resistance and persistence under grazing! $125-200/ac Establishment cost! Check soil type before planting. Will require some grazing management! 4” minimum stubble height! Currently, about 7-8 varieties of “novel”

Annual small grains or a cool season perennial – Fecue? Is farming small grains annually, more cost effective than growing a perennial? What effect does stand life have on a fescue verses wheat production system?

Lets Compare Management! Wheat Disk twice, cultivate once- every year. Plant 90 to 120 # seed, yearly! P&K, 60# N Sept. and February. 1 ton forage by Dec., 2 ton by April max yield! Grazing Mid October – Mid April? Summer annual crop? Do it all again next fall? Fescue After establishment year, no tillage! No planting cost. P&K, 60 to 80# N Sept. and 60 to 120# N in February. 1 to 1.5 ton forage by Dec., 2 to 3 ton(??) into Mid May! Grazing Sept. thru May (?June) No tillage or seeding summer. No grazing, Mid June – August unless mixed grass stand.

per acre $811.24 $649.78

University of Arkansas Research vs. Annuals

Effects of Forage on Steer Performance for Fall 2003 and Spring 2004 at Batesville AR* Forage Type Jesup MaxQ KY-31 Wheat/ Wintergrazer 70 Grazing Period Fall Grazing Dates Sept. 16 to Dec. 23 Nov. 11 to Jan 23 Grazing Days 98 72 Initial Steer Wt. lbs 436 435 450 Final Wt. lbs 605 554 621 ADG lbs 1.72 1.21 2.37 Total Gain/steer lbs 168.1 118.6 170.8 * University of Arkansas Livestock and Forestry Branch Station

Effects of Forage on Steer Performance for Fall 2003 and Spring 2004 at Batesville AR* Forage Type Jesup MaxQ KY-31 Wheat/ Wintergrazer 70 Grazing Period Spring Grazing Dates Mar. 17 to July 8 May 12 Grazing Days 113 56 Initial Steer Wt. lbs 454 451 Final Wt. lbs 684 564 555 ADG lbs 2.03 1.00 1.86 Total Gain/steer lbs 229.9 113.2 104.4 * University of Arkansas Livestock and Forestry Branch Station

Effects of Forage on Steer Performance for Fall 2003 and Spring 2004 at Batesville AR* Forage Type Jesup MaxQ KY-31 Wheat/ Wintergrazer 70 Grazing Period Fall 2003 to Spring 2004 Grazing Dates Sept 16 to Dec 23 Mar. 17 to July 8 Nov 11 to Jan 23 Mar. 17 to May 12 Total Grazing Days 211 128 Gain/acre 827 461 493 * University of Arkansas Livestock and Forestry Branch Station

Read and Follow All Label Directions Before Attempting Any Chemical Applications!

Glyphosate + Surfactant . Apply during March & April when Bermuda or native is dormant and fescue is actively growing.(temp. above 60 degree F.) Apply at 2 quarts/acre, 20 gallons/acre carrier volume. No residual control on seedlings. Fire increases effectiveness. Addition of Amm. Sulfate will increase effectiveness(17 pnds/100 gallons). Cost = $15 + $2.42 = $17.42 Glyphosate + Surfactant.

Eradication and Establishment Old Stand Summer Annual New spray & plant Spring Fall Spray, Smother, Spray! C.A.Roberts, Univ. Missouri

Fescue Love it or hate it, its still the best adapted perennial cool season forage for our area. Can produce 1-1.5 ton of fall forage/ac and another 2 tons in the spring on average soils. 2 fall/3 spring on deep soils Adapted to low pH and low Fertility soils. Toxicity problems have always been an issue Dilution Replacement? Works well in a year round grazing system.

Questions?