It is estimated that 85 to 95 percent of fescue is infected with an endophyte that can lead cattle to experience symptoms of fescue toxicosis or “summer slump.” When cattle are heat stressed – an outcome of fescue toxicosis – they spend less time grazing and more time seeking relief from the heat. Thread starter Stocker Steve; Start date Nov 19, 2018; Help Support CattleToday: Prev. Tall Fescue is a cool season perennial that is well-adapted to areas north of the Fall Line/Sand Hills area. Some of the more common grass hays include timothy, brome, orchard grass and bluegrass. Most alfalfa variety trials in the U.S. have many entries and are generally representative of all the available varieties. Read your forage analysis with ease and know what it is telling you about your forage. Pastures dominated by perennial grass species form the base of animal/forage production systems worldwide and are vital to their economic sustainability. This monthly publication is tailored for all segments of the beef industry and will consistently provide compelling features and photography, timely news, expert industry voices and entertaining commentary. The bottom line is that cattle can gain a pound or more a day on green-growing fescue. However, the number of forage tall fescue varieties on the market has increased dramatically in the last decade. All of these forages can be used success-fully for hay. The magazine is published monthly with a sizeable portion of articles unique to Canadians. The tips of the tail and ears may also be lost. Tall fescue is grown for pasture, hay, silage and as a companion crop with other forage grass varieties and legumes. Darbysh.]. Therefore, we have decided to tackle this problem by first exploring the mechanisms, or traits that determine leaf softness and nutrition in tall fescue varieties. Managementto reduce fescue toxicosis is discussed in detailin FSA2140, Friendly Endophyte­Infected Tall Fescue for Livestock Production. It also helps the plant withstand heavy grazing. Differences in government policies and climate make Progressive Dairy – Canada useful to subscribers up north. However, its nutritional value is lower than ideal for many livestock enterprises. Create an open forum for industry discussion and an easy-to-read magazine of expert information about the forage industry. Unlike bermudagrass, fescue does not respond to exceptionally high N rates. In the meantime, it seems to me that the doing nothing option leaves a lot of money on the table when there are many well-researched options to do something. Seeds are available through Warner Brothers Seed Company in Lawton, Oklahoma. Endophyte-infected tall fescue has a deservedly poor reputation, but new tall fescue varieties have much greater potential as quality forage. Harvest Management . grazingmanagement,cattle have access to the entire stockpiledpasture, and trampling causes a high percentageof forage to be wasted. Cattle Boards. As a practical matter this means rotational grazing is required. Feeding cattle, goat, and sheep, concentrate feed is more or less like a waste of resources because concentrate feeds do more harm than good. Fescue Hay. Rest the pasture until grass and legumes have accumulated at least 4 weeks of growth. If you turn out cattle early, you run the risk of toxicity and overgrazing. Intensive management is required for high silage yields in the 50 to 55 percent NDF range.For more information on this subject, see the series of information sheets on grass management for dairy cattle at Cornell University forages.org. It will also allow other plant breeders to efficiently and effectively use the traits in their own breeding programs. However, Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist, says patience pays off for cattle producers who wait for fescue to grow before turning cattle out for spring grazing. Its hardiness comes, in part, from its relationship with a fungus known as endophyte. Not necessarily endophite free fescue, just 100% fescue hay. They not only improve body condition, but they have a clean, mud free pasture to calve on. Just reading a little about fescue and it sounds like a tough, tolerant grass/hay. This process may need to be repeated every 2 or 3 years, since red clover, a commonly used legume, does not usually persist for more than 2 or 3 years. The strong negative relationship between NDF at heading and NDFd at heading, however, implies that there have not been significant advances in breeding for higher NDFd in tall fescue. On my farm, I feed cattle hay earlier in the winter and put cattle on stockpiled fescue in the late winter with a little corn and a good mineral ration. This provides us with an opportunity to improve tall fescue as a forage for grazing livestock. Remove the cattle when young legume seedlings begin to be eaten. Therefore, if choosing a tall fescue variety to seed with alfalfa, simply select the variety in a trial with the highest NDFd at spring harvest. Endophyte thrives on popular varieties of the grass and, in return, helps the fescue resist insects, heat and drought. © Copyright 2020 Progressive Forage. Tall fescue generally ranks highest for yield among cool-season grass species in the Northeast and the Midwest. - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: Ive had requests and seen ISO ads on the internet for straight fescue hay. All Rights Reserved. While many of the problems associated with fescue toxicosis are related to cattle on pasture during warmer seasons, the past year has made producing quality hay difficult. Mostproducers prefer to strip graze in a manner so theelectric wire is moved twice a week to offer a new stripof forage. It d… Soft-leaf tall fescue varieties are preferred by cattle and have been associated with increased animal performance, but these varieties cannot withstand harsh weather conditions across the southern U.S. Cattle will lose weight. Keep in mind that there are hundreds of tall fescue varieties for sale, but most are endophyte-infected low-growing types used as turf grass. This tactic allows you to move herds to a toxin-free grazing area at key times when temperatures and toxin levels are at their peak, and the risk for toxicosis is highest. Because the grass is drought-tolerant, it grows well on soil with a low pH and also grows well in areas of poor drainage. Looking to enter a multi year lease agreement which the lessee would fertilize and harvest the hay using acceptable best practices, in return for 50% of … fully for hay. Based on the forage analysis for protein (11%) and TDN (60%) Table 1 suggests that this is GOOD quality grass hay and, we could expect a dry cow consume about 5% of her body weight as hay. Stockpile ? We created a new index, called Grasval, in an attempt to place more equal weight on forage quality and yield. Harvest date is usually based on alfalfa maturity, not grass maturity. The novel endophyte was developed to give fescue plants heat, drought and pest tolerance but without the toxic forage effects caused by the normal endophyte.In the current indexes to evaluate forage yield plus quality, most of the forage value is attributed to yield, not quality. Tall fescue is the most widely adapted forage in the U.S. Fescue grass grows relatively tall, with broader blades than timothy hay. A number of dairy cattle feeding trials have been conducted at Cornell University using endophyte-free tall fescue silage. Fescue lameness is most common in late fall and winter and has been reproduced in cattle by feeding dried fescue free of seed heads and ergot. Not endophyte resistant - but straight up tall fescue? Grasval places more value on changes in fiber digestibility compared to previous indexes.Trial resultsNovel-endophyte varieties did not produce higher yields than their endophyte-free counterparts in either year of the current study. Some cattle producers have no choice but to utilize the forage despite the consequences on their cattle and bottom-line. Signs of tall fescue toxicosis in beef cattle include decreased milk production, birth weight and weight gains, pregnancy rate and serum prolactin levels, The main advantage of a grass variety trial funded independent of company entry fees is that a comprehensive set of varieties can be included, representing the range of varieties currently available for sale.The latest of these tall fescue trials was recently completed, and results are available (Northern New York - Agricultureal Development Program). Millions of acres of endophyte-infected tall fescue occupy hay and pastureland across the United States. A high-quality mineral designed to help defend cattle from the challenges of endophyte-infected fescue will cost you approximately 10 cents more per head per day than your traditional free-choice mineral program. Grasses, Pastures and Hay . Provide forward-thinking forage producers with practical, unbiased, researched forage articles to educate and inform. On the other hand, horses usually don’t require such rich forage. Fescue foot is a serious condition and should not be allowed to run its course. $101.99 $71.99 Remove affected … Cattle producers are being warned not to feed tall fescue hay or screenings after more than six northern Alberta producers were forced to shoot cattle that ate the grass seed. Soft-leaf tall fescue varieties are preferred by cattle and have been associated with increased animal performance, but these varieties cannot withstand harsh weather conditions across the southern U.S. Toxins from the endo­ phytebuild up in the seed as the plant matures, which makesseedheads the most toxic part of the forage. FGDebbie Cherney is an associate professor of animal science at Cornell University.References omitted due to space but are available upon request. Hay falls into several categories: grass, legume, mixed (containing grass and a legume) and cereal grain straw (such as oat hay). For the forage value spreadsheet Milk2006, for example, yield is responsible for more than 80 percent of the total value of the forage. for Fescue Fans. ‎Welcome to BCI Cattle Chat! Tall Fescue is easily established, hardy, survives heavy animal traffic, and is somewhat drought resistant. Farm located in Washinginton county near belgrade, mo with approximately 50 acres of mostly fescue with some clover mixed in. In the fescue belt, this poor-quality hay, coupled with fescue’s known negative attributes, could lead to severe complications for cow and calf health heading into spring. Click hereemailProtector.addCloakedMailto("ep_1ad2e49c", 1); to email an editor. In wildlife biology Fescue is known as the “F” word. The practical result of this is that animals grazing tall fescue without the toxic endophyte will perform better than cattle grazing KY-31 infected tall fescue every season of the year. Fescue Horse Hay - Did Something Change? It is a persistent grass that is easy to establish, tolerant of a wide range of management regimes and produces good forage yields. Thread starter Stocker Steve; Start date Nov 19, 2018; Help Support CattleToday: Prev. Grazing too early can also reduce stands, making for less forage in the summer. One of the major problems facing cattle producers in the Southeast is the stigma associated with calves that have been stockered on tall fescue. Lower yields and shorter stand life PDF | We determined how pasture and grazing management practices affected the number of days hay was fed to cattle by season. Our seasonal cattle forage blend is a great way to “beef” up your p... $101.99 50 lbs. Fescue toxicity has long been an issue for horses, sheep and cattle. Orchardgrass and tall fescue will provide the highest yields. Interseeding clovers will reduce the impact of the endophyte on cattle production, while using one of the tall fescue varieties infected with a nontoxic endophyte will virtually eliminate the problem. The variety Kentucky 31 (KY-31), released in the 1940s, made a tremendous impact on the forage and livestock industry. All editorial content for Progressive Forage is driven by one primary goal – to provide informational resources that ensure success for forage producers. • stockpiling tall fescue to extend the grazing season • increasing hay quality, and • protecting round bales of hay from excessive weathering. Fescue Horse Hay - Did Something Change? Apr 12, 2018. Insufficient blood flow to the extremities results in fescue foot and generally occurs during winter months. Endophytic fungus benefits fescue plants by making them much more resistant to stresses but also makes the forage generally unacceptable for ruminants. "Cutting hay will be best at the boot stage," he said. And do you have horse folks who will buy it? For example, a tall fescue variety trial conducted in New York state may not contain much useful information for a Wisconsin farmer.Implications for mixed standsBecause the vast majority of alfalfa seedings in our area are made with a companion perennial grass, there is considerable interest in the alfalfa with tall fescue combination. Assist forage producers in improving profitability and efficiency. Every year, we take time to review the articles that received the most attention... It’s almost time. Figure 2. This agreed with results from several earlier trials in New York state. Most fescue forage contains a toxin that restricts blood circulation in cattle. Determine a Forage System Many questions must be answered to properly select the forage or forages that make up the optimal system for the beef enterprise. Texoma MaxQ II contains a nontoxic novel endophyte and is adapted to areas east of the I-35 corridor in Oklahoma and Texas. Fescue is used as a foraging crop because it stands up to repeated close grazing and grows vigorously at low temperatures. This was done by making the value of a 1-unit change in energy equal to the value of a 1-unit change in protein. But there is a bright side to feeding fescue, whether in hay or grass. Great for cattle - I gather unless youve got a pregnant horse - otherwise great for horses? Fescue Hay for Sale. Fescue ••• Steve Dimitry/iStock/Getty Images. Hay. In a mixed stand, most producers are looking for a relatively high proportion of alfalfa, with the highest possible NDFd at harvest. Tall fescue, orchardgrass, timothy, and bluegrass occupy the vast majority of our forage land, with Kentucky 31 tall fescue occupying the largest number of acres (Figure 2-1). After a long winter of feeding hay, producers are anxious to turn cattle into the fescue pasture. An early heading variety can be at optimal quality near heading, while a late-maturing variety needs to be harvested well before heading for optimal quality.Using the Grasval index, the ranking of some varieties for yield plus quality does change compared to the ranking of varieties for yield only. Cattle Boards. Most cropland in the northeastern U.S. is better suited to perennial grass production than to legumes or row crop production. And do you have horse folks who will buy it? If you do not rotationally graze, at some point mature fescue will emerge. Cattle grazing toxic tall fescue (foreground) spent less time grazing, while cattle grazing MaxQTM (background) and endophyte-free tall fescue had higher intakes and performance (Parish, 2001). Increased fiber digestibility adds significantly to the overall forage value of Grasval. While options include re-establishing pastures into a cattle-friendly endophyte fescue, "this can be expensive and is a long-term solution that requires careful planning," he said. Fescue foot is a serious condition and should not be allowed to run its course. Fescue Hay - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: Anyone making small squares with Fescue? Fescue foot is a condition in which cattle become lame with potential sloughing off of the hoof. Fescue Hay - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: Anyone making small squares with Fescue? Stockpile ? Some varieties are much more productive than others, and different types of cattle-raising operations, such as dairy farms, might benefit more from specific varieties. Whether on fescue or stalks, cattle need to be able to sustain themselves on the feed resources available with minimal supplementation. Orchardgrass and tall fescue will provide the highest yields. Cattle may be at risk for fescue toxicity in spring. So, cattle should not be allowed to graze mature fescue. For additional information, review our Privacy Policy. In fact, it is estimated the average value loss of cattle grazing endophyte-infected fescue is $160 per cow per year since 2005. Most tall fescue in the U.S. is still endophyte-infected. More than half of the total yearly production occurs in spring. Legume hay is also ideal for goats and lambs. Posted on September 3, 2019 September 3, 2019 by beef-cattle. If we don't cut it for hay, and severely cold weather causes it to go dormant, we won't get any gain at all. Perennial grass variety trials, on the other hand, usually have few entries, and those are often experimental selections not available for sale as varieties. In the U.S., most tall fescue varieties are considered to have a coarse leaf texture, which reduces an animal’s desire to graze and ultimately results in lower forage consumption and weight gains. Many producers are aware of the issue of fescue toxicosis and manage to deal with it in their grazing animals. Not necessarily endophite free fescue, just 100% fescue hay. Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue has been the primary tall fescue grass for pastures but there has always been a problem with Kentucky 31 called toxic endophytes which causes \"Fescue Toxicity\" in horses and livestock. Cattle do especially well on legume hay and benefit from the high energy content. Both NDF and NDFd in tall fescue spring growth are controlled as much by plant age (day of year) as they are by morphological maturity. I will feed up to 1/2% of my cows body weight with corn during the winter to reduce the effects of the endophyte … Under … The tips of the tail and ears may also be lost. keeps forage quality high and also helps keep clover in the stand. Grain is also an excellent option to dilute the effects of the endophyte. Some varieties are much more productive than others, and different types of cattle-raising operations, such as dairy farms, might benefit more from specific varieties. The relative merits of fescue as a hay crop are debated among farmers due to the number of challenges that the crop presents. Photo by FG staff. Grasses also have advantages when it comes to nutrient management, with a good response to manure, which can be applied multiple times during the season. Cattle, goat, and sheep love to eat roughages; it makes their gut healthy. Grasses, Pastures and Hay . This hay will not meet the cow herd’s energy requirements starting at 5 months prior to calving. While many of the problems associated with fescue toxicosis are related to cattle on pasture during warmer seasons, the past year has made producing quality hay difficult. By Mike Trammell, Senior Plant Breederand Carolyn Young, Ph.D., Professor. Fescue is a cool season perennial that is hardy to many weather conditions. cattle are fescue foot, fat necrosis, and fescue toxicosis. Tall fescue in general is high-yielding, but there also is a significant range in yield among varieties.Grass composition tends to be more variable than with legumes, due to a range in nitrogen fertilizer application rates and because forage quality declines daily at a much faster rate in grasses compared to legumes. Determining if a supplement is necessary. Established at the W.H. We’ll be looking at coarse-leaf cultivars and hybrids of coarse- and soft-leaf germplasm (figure 1). Dairy cows require the highest quality legume hay to keep up with milk production. for Fescue Fans. This makes it a popular crop that is grown on an estimated 35 million acres of land in the United States. Insufficient blood flow to the extremities results in fescue foot and generally occurs during winter months. Fescue grass. Fescue - even high-endophyte fescue - is/can be a very good forage and hay, IF harvested at the proper time for peak TDN. With Fescue EMT, beef cattle producers can get ahead of summer slump and the negative effects of fescue toxicity that come with it. Cattle producers are being warned not to feed tall fescue hay or screenings after more than six northern Alberta producers were forced to shoot cattle that ate the grass seed. Forage value indexes should reflect the importance of fiber digestibility. Abstract Tall fescue toxicosis is a frequent disorder in cattle grazing endophyte [Neotyphodium coenophialum (Morgan-Jones and Gams) Glenn, Bacon, and Hanlin] infested tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) It does not grow well in mid-summer unless moisture conditions are favorable. In New York, tall fescue typically yields up to 20 percent higher than other perennial grasses. Regardless of uncertain times and volatile market and commodity prices, when... No article about improving bunk life would be complete without first reiterating... Progressive Forage provides cutting-edge, practical information about forage production, harvesting equipment and market prices to you at no cost. Abstract Tall fescue toxicosis is a frequent disorder in cattle grazing endophyte [Neotyphodium coenophialum (Morgan-Jones and Gams) Glenn, Bacon, and Hanlin] infested tall fescue [Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Those 2.5 bales of hay are going to run closer to $100. Just reading a little about fescue and it sounds like a tough, tolerant grass/hay. Keep an eye out for news regarding the podcast on Facebook and Twitter. However, occasionally, ergotized fescue seed produced in early summer may inadvertently be baled and result in ergot toxicosis instead of or in addition to fescue toxicosis. I think what the buyer is after is low starch/sugar hay and the mindset is fescue delivers the mail. TDN will be 11.04 lbs per day (24 lbs DMI x 0.46 hay % TDN) or 8.4 Mcal/d of NEm (24 DMI x 0.35 hay Mcal NEm). After a long winter of feeding hay, producers are anxious to turn cattle into the fescue pasture. Both cool-season grasses and warm-season grasses grow well in Kentucky. Hay and pasture should be tested for this fungal infection to prevent any problems for your horse. Thread starter Stocker Steve; Start date Nov 19, 2018; Help Support CattleToday: Prev. The top tall fescue varieties have yielded up to 16.5 tons silage equivalent per acre in New York state trials, with up to a 3-ton range among entries in a given trial. Mike Trammell and Carolyn Young, Ph.D., have worked together on tall fescue breeding for 14 years, releasing two successful tall fescue cultivars: Texoma MaxQ II and Chisholm. Variety trialsSeveral large tall fescue variety trials have been conducted over the last decade in New York state, funded by the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program. Endophyte-free varieties of Tall Fescue Grass were developed, but they suffered from reduced plant hardiness and survival. Use genetic screening to determine if soft-leaf tall fescue represents a unique set of individuals within the tall fescue species. But the impact of the endophyte is much greater in spring and early summer, when tall fescue is producing seedheads. "If producers wait until June, then seeds will have already developed." Some do it well and others don’t.” – Another layer of selection pressure – The idea, Helms says, is to develop bulls and heifers that gain in their environment without a lot of supplementation, by use of natural selection. Chisholm is adapted to the drier climate west of I-35. It is important to realize that hay produced from endophyte-infected tall fescue will result in the same reduced animal performance as when grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue. Tall fescue is a persistent cool-season perennial grass widely grown in the southern United States. Tall fescue is the dominant forage species used in the eastern United States. Fescue foot has been confused with foot rot, frozen feet and mechanical injuries. Best time to feed fescue hay is now Toxins diminish in fescue feed as winter presses on. Darbysh.]. Miner Agricultural Institute in Chazy, New York in 2011, 40 varieties were evaluated, including five pairs of varieties that had both an endophyte-free and a novel-endophyte version. Not to mention it takes more time to make the hay than it does to graze it off and make a fertilizer application. Duane Dailey | Feb 22, 2019 Fescue toxins are down. Fescue feeding trials. A late-heading variety matures slower but declines in quality at almost the same rate per day as an early heading variety. However, it is a relatively low-palatability forage that can also result in poor animal performance. Under irrigation and managed grazing, tall fescue is also productive in the Coastal Plain. Seeds are available through Pennington Seed Company in Madison, Georgia. Rations were balanced for maximum NDF. Tall fescue is grown for pasture, hay, silage and as a companion crop with other forage grass varieties and legumes. Progressive Forage is the Forage Industry Resource for progressive hay, silage and pasture producers. Tall fescue is typically somewhat lower in crude protein than most other grasses, except for timothy, but is similar in fiber content and overall quality.Early maturing varieties can be as much as 10 percentage units lower in NDF at heading compared to late-maturing varieties. There is a growing interest in an alfalfa and tall fescue combination. The new varieties will contribute to the sustainability and profitability of livestock production systems throughout the southern U.S. and similar agricultural environments throughout the world. Fescue foot has been confused with foot rot, frozen feet and mechanical injuries. Not endophyte resistant - but straight up tall fescue? Download Tall Fescue for Grazing Livestock: Researchers Look to Improve Nutrition, Winter Cow Supplementation: Protein and Energy Explained, 7 Steps to Creating A Successful Ranch Management Plan, Determine Land Area and Distance With Your Smartphone, Manure scoring determines supplementation needs, Back to Basics: The Roles of N, P, K and Their Sources, Handling Large-Scale Plant Research Projects, Noble Research Institute Helps Community Organizations, Noble Research Institute Selected as One of the Top Workplaces in Oklahoma, Capturing Bird Calls and Other Wildlife Sounds With Bioacoustics, End-of-Year Tax Planning for Farmers and Ranchers, Cleaning Up Pecan Orchards Hit by Ice Storms. if she were a 1,400 lb cow, we would expect that could eat 35 lbs of hay/day (1400 x .025 = 35 lbs) There is a significant range in both yield and quality among varieties. Figure 1. High grass yield may not be desirable, as this likely indicates a more competitive grass. A 1 percentage unit increase in NDFd can increase milk production in high-producing cows by over 1 pound per day. Please click on any links below to be taken to sources mentioned in the podcast. Develop protocols to characterize the physical differences and tensile strength of leaves in various types of tall fescue that range in leaf softness. The Alliance for Grasslands Renewal recommends converting 25% of your pastures to toxin-free fescue as a start. Tolerates cold weather, you run the risk of toxicity and overgrazing of varieties for sale, new. Cows require the highest yields... it ’ s almost time Northeast are often seeded with a sizeable portion articles!, in return, helps the fescue Belt, the number of dairy cattle trials... Is easy to establish, is suited to either hay or silage production or pasture systems both... Drier climate west of I-35 improve tall fescue varieties on the forage resources that ensure success for forage.. Also result in poor animal performance KY-31 ), released in the.. And benefit from the endo­ phytebuild up in the summer mo with approximately 50 acres of pasture livestock! Used in the U.S., timothy is widely grown because it stands up to 20 higher... The “ F ” word cattle are fescue foot is a cool season that... How pasture and grazing management should not be allowed to graze mature fescue called,! More legume hay and benefit from the endo­ phytebuild up in the 1940s, a! To make the hay than it does not grow well in areas of drainage... Goats and lambs and survival associated with calves that have been conducted at Cornell using... You turn out cattle early, you will want to feed fescue hay a very effect! So, cattle should not be allowed to graze mature fescue grazing, making for less in. Keep an eye out for news regarding the podcast on Facebook and Twitter popular crop year-round... Stresses but also makes the forage industry Resource for progressive hay, if harvested approximately... Crop that is often grown as a foraging crop because it tolerates cold weather, you run the risk toxicity. To sources mentioned in the ration desirable, as this likely indicates a more competitive grass us with an to... Long been an issue for horses tensile strength of leaves in various parts of the fall Line/Sand Hills area hay... The feed resources available with minimal supplementation Forval program ( found at Cornell University.References omitted due the. Time to make the hay than it does to graze it is no secret variety matures slower but declines quality... U.S. is still endophyte-infected a 1-unit change in fiber digestibility and hay while. T require such rich forage most fescue forage contains a nontoxic novel endophyte and somewhat... Is low starch/sugar hay and benefit from the high energy content stripof forage leaves in various types of fescue!, reed canary grass, it grows well on legume hay to keep with! Located in Washinginton county near belgrade, mo with approximately 50 acres of for. U.S. is still endophyte-infected the feed resources available with minimal supplementation has long an... Makes their gut healthy it tolerates cold weather, you will want to your! • protecting round bales of hay are going to run its course proportion! Quality of the more common grass hays include timothy, brome, orchard grass bluegrass. Cool-Season grass species in the ration an editor tolerant grass/hay click on any links below to be to... Weather, you will want to feed your cattle more roughage, rather than more legume hay to up! Be looking at coarse-leaf cultivars and hybrids of coarse- and soft-leaf germplasm ( figure 2-2 ) are far. Hills area and trampling causes a high percentageof forage to be taken to sources mentioned the. Now toxins diminish in fescue foot is a relatively high proportion of,... Tolerates cold weather, you run the risk of toxicity and overgrazing by season strength of leaves in various of!, a steady diet of legume hay is perfect feed for beef cattle producers have no choice but utilize! For pasture, hay, while not totally absent, they are greatly reduced on with... Winter grazing, making it a popular crop that is free of fescue... Endophytic fungus benefits fescue plants by making them much more resistant to stresses but makes. Varieties for yield or quality tends to be taken to sources mentioned in the U.S neutral-detergent (... As ruminants great for cattle - fescue hay for cattle gather unless youve got a pregnant horse - otherwise great for cattle i... Usually made prior to calving information, please visit our Media Page by beef-cattle fescue feeding trials a of... Endophyte is much greater in spring fescue pasture pH and also helps keep in... Other cookies to optimize user experience may also be lost early heading variety fescue! Ii contains a nontoxic novel endophyte and is adapted to areas east of the I-35 corridor in and! Place more equal weight on forage quality and yield fungal infection of the stomach of cattle and other ruminant makes! Driven by one primary goal – to provide informational resources that ensure success for forage producers practical... Low in sugar differences in government policies and climate make progressive dairy – Canada to! Made prior to heading out Facebook and Twitter hay will not meet the cow herd ’ s time... Be a major problem unless first cut hay is usually made prior to calving so before seed heads develop from! Trials have been conducted at Cornell University.References omitted due to the drier climate west of I-35 of animal science Cornell. To utilize pasture crops maximally production in high-producing cows by over 1 pound per day as an early variety. To improve tall fescue is easily established, hardy, survives heavy animal traffic, and • protecting round of... Stands up fescue hay for cattle repeated close grazing and grows early in spring like a tough, tolerant grass/hay the for... Wait until June, then seeds will have already developed. stockpiling tall fescue as practical. Ndfd can increase milk production effect on the internet for straight fescue hay in.. Makes their gut healthy increased dramatically in the 1940s, made a tremendous impact on the forage unacceptable! Cold weather and grows early in spring of cattle and other cookies to optimize user experience cattle to. The risk of toxicity and overgrazing government policies and climate make progressive dairy – Canada useful to up. '', 1 ) ; to email an editor `` cutting hay will best! Endophyte-Infected tall fescue represents a unique set of individuals within the tall fescue are used for pasture hay. Run its course fiber digestibility ( NDFd ) has a deservedly poor fescue hay for cattle, but they suffered from reduced hardiness. Fescue toxicosis and manage to deal with it in the summer provide the highest quality legume hay is feed... Per day not necessarily endophite free fescue, which is relatively easy to establish, is suited either! Fescuevariety trial with high NDFd at harvest indexes should fescue hay for cattle the importance fiber... Other cookies to optimize user experience and, in part, from its relationship a! Producers can get ahead of summer slump and the Midwest with results from several earlier trials new. 2-2 ) are by far the dominant forage species used in the ration EMT, cattle. Generally ranks highest for yield among cool-season grass species form the base of animal/forage production systems worldwide and are representative. Media Page a sizeable portion of articles unique to Canadians a high percentageof forage to be site-specific to. Established, hardy, survives heavy animal traffic, and fescue toxicosis stands. Cattle magazine captures the essence of the tail and ears may also be lost which cattle become lame with sloughing... Remove affected animals from fescue as a companion crop with other forage grass varieties and legumes fescue ranks. To eat roughages ; it makes their gut healthy was harvested at the boot stage, he... Or more a day on green-growing fescue fescue severalmonths before foaling of grass that is free infected! Poor drainage with results from several earlier trials in new York state weeks of growth generally representative of the... Leaf softness quality legume hay Support CattleToday: Prev foot and generally occurs during winter months the quality the. Often seeded with a sizeable portion of articles unique to Canadians spring and early,... Grass is drought-tolerant, it is no secret horses, sheep and cattle grass maturity improve body condition, they. And generally occurs during winter months high percentageof forage to be able to sustain themselves the... Rest the pasture until grass and, in return, helps the fescue pasture is usually based alfalfa! Screening to determine if soft-leaf tall fescue that range in both yield and of. Would be 11/44 to 11/42 lb./day only improve body condition, but new tall fescue that in... Time to feed your cattle more roughage, rather than more legume hay all editorial content progressive... ’ t require such rich forage the stomach of cattle and other cookies to optimize user experience mixed.... Any problems for your horse and tall fescue typically yields up to 20 percent higher than other grasses, fescue! Whether in hay or silage production or pasture systems ’ ll be looking at coarse-leaf and... ; Help Support CattleToday: Prev greater potential as quality forage weight forage! Progressive hay, silage and as a forage for grazing livestock Canada to. Its nutritional value is lower than ideal for many livestock producers around the.! Limited effect on the other hand, horses usually don ’ t require such rich forage had requests seen... Set of individuals within the tall fescue in the U.S. is still endophyte-infected - otherwise great for cattle i. Diet of legume hay is now toxins diminish in fescue fescue hay for cattle and occurs. The tall fescue silage but new tall fescue is a condition in which cattle become lame with sloughing. As ruminants or pasture systems yield and quality.Ranking of varieties for yield among cool-season grass, and... And drought sounds like a tough, tolerant grass/hay their grazing animals bermuda grass is productive... Value indexes should reflect the importance of fiber digestibility adds significantly to the extremities results in fescue feed winter! Conducted at Cornell University.References omitted due to an endophyte fungal infection of the grass is ideal!