A Texoma MaxQ II question

[agmantoo]

I have read the user guide regarding planting the Texoma MaxQ II but remain unclear on one thing. The user guide states how to establish the Texoma MaxQ II when making a total switch from Ky31. I would like to try the Texoma MaxQ II but I would have to phase in the switch over time. My question is ....... Will the Texoma MaxQ II resist the toxic endophyte from the already established Ky31 in the adjacent paddocks or any missed Ky31 that may persist in the area being sown to Texoma MaxQ II? TIA

 

[Mid South Guy]

It is not so much that the endophyte toxin will spread from the Ky31 to the MaxQ plants, it won't. What normally happens is Ky31 will get a foothold in the MaxQ and because of its vigorous growth it will crowd out the MaxQ. In the paddock you're renovating, if you controlled Ky31 seed production, get a good kill on it, and get a good thick stand of MaxQ, you should be fine. You could get some Ky31 seed in it from the adjacent paddocks from wind, runoff, birds, etc. if you don't control seed production. I would keep clipping the seedheads off the Ky31 after they emerge but before they mature (short time window). Also, do not graze any cattle on the MaxQ II that have been grazing mature Ky31 or eating Ky31 Hay. Seed can pass thru the manure.

Check out the extension service websites of the Universities of Kentucky, Tennesse, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma State, and the Sam Noble Foundation in OK. They all have done a lot of work on this and have a lot of good information.

I hope this goes well for you. This is one of those things that is a lot harder to do well than it sounds like it should be because Ky31 is everwhere.

 

[SoutheastOKGuy]

agmantoo,

Funny, this is a timely topic. I emailed a consultant at Noble yesterday asking about Texoma MaxQII fescue. We have traded a couple of emails and he has been very helpful. I didn't ask about endophyte though, but I could easily ask another question. I will paste my questions and his answers below. I don't know the difference between stocker cattle and cows. Maybe you could educate me? We also talked about Red River crabgrass and bermudagrass. I can buy KY31 for ~ $126/hundred #. I don't know what the Texoma fescue costs or where I can get it. Incidentally I live in Texomaland.

In your opinion does the Texoma fescue offer benefits that overcome the price increase from KY31? If raising stocker cattle – probably. If raising cows – no, not if fescue is 30% of total forage annually. Or is KY31 just as well adapted as Texoma? Ky31 is probably more hardy, but when droughty like last year neither would have worked. I guess my burning question is what are the top 2 or 3 cool season forages for our area? Perennials – Fletcha fescue, Texoma MaxQ, KY31 fescue, Jose tall wheatgrass – but all are best if established in fall plantings. Spring plantings need good moisture conditions through summer to succeed.

PM me and I'll forward you the emails we have traded the last couple of days. BTW I am NorthTexasGuy over at homesteading today. I know the names are different, but I moved back home to SE OK a couple of years ago. The name NorthTexasGuy no longer fits. I posted a question for you in the rotational grazing thread. Please have a look if you get a chance.


Kyle

 

[dun]

Stockers are young animals being grown out to to be placed on feed for finsihing, cows are older and calf raisers.

 

[Douglas]

I think the confusion comes from the notion of the problem being a fungus. We think about them as spreading and infecting other plants like the common cold. The fescue funcus is only in the seeds and never leaves the seeds. A new stand of fescue can get k31 infected seeds from elsewhere. Those new seeds if they germinate can have the fungus but they will not infect neighboring plants. Then if these new infected seeds out compete the neighboring plants and continue to go to seed eventually the old k31 can take over, when the old fescue lives and the new fescue dies of natural causes. It is not really the infection spreading but the old k31 seeds spreading.

 

[agmantoo]

agmantoo,

I can buy KY31 for ~ $126/hundred #. I don't know what the Texoma fescue costs or where I can get it. Incidentally I live in Texomaland.Fescue is roughly 70 cents per lb here for Oregon grown quality seed. Texoma is $5/lb

In your opinion does the Texoma fescue offer benefits that overcome the price increase from KY31?If the Texoma would live up to its advertised advantages it would be very valuable to me. If it would cross contaminate with the endophyte infected Ky31 it would , to me, be useless.

I would appreciate your asking the question I posted and sharing the answer here.


Kyle

 

[Mid South Guy]

I think the confusion comes from the notion of the problem being a fungus. We think about them as spreading and infecting other plants like the common cold. The fescue funcus is only in the seeds and never leaves the seeds. A new stand of fescue can get k31 infected seeds from elsewhere. Those new seeds if they germinate can have the fungus but they will not infect neighboring plants. Then if these new infected seeds out compete the neighboring plants and continue to go to seed eventually the old k31 can take over, when the old fescue lives and the new fescue dies of natural causes. It is not really the infection spreading but the old k31 seeds spreading.

Exactly!! -- Without seed production controled, the old Ky31, over time, can take over and you won't even know its happening without testing for endophyte. Interesting enough it is the endophyte toxin in Ky31 that gives it the hardieness and vigor to out compete the endophyte free strains. (For reasons not fully understood.) Remember, endophyte infected fescue has evolved and adapted here for a few hundred years, and we are trying to undo some of that. Very difficult.

 

[SoutheastOKGuy]

agmantoo,

I can buy KY31 for ~ $126/hundred #. I don't know what the Texoma fescue costs or where I can get it. Incidentally I live in Texomaland.Fescue is roughly 70 cents per lb here for Oregon grown quality seed. Texoma is $5/lb

In your opinion does the Texoma fescue offer benefits that overcome the price increase from KY31?If the Texoma would live up to its advertised advantages it would be very valuable to me. If it would cross contaminate with the endophyte infected Ky31 it would , to me, be useless.

I would appreciate your asking the question I posted and sharing the answer here.

I got a response from the consultant at Noble. Here is my question and his response:
Another question I have is on the endophyte. If I understand correctly the Texoma fescue has non-toxic endophyte. Would this readily cross-pollinate with KY31 and eventually leave me with a stand of toxic endophyte fescue without even knowing it? Or could it infect the Texoma fescue somehow?
The endophyte is in the seed and then the plant. It does not carry with pollen. Fescues may cross pollinate but the endophyte stays with mother plant and it's seed. But if there is wild toxic type fescue present cattle can distinguish the difference so graze the more palatable fescues leaving toxic endophyte fescues un grazed. If over grazed the good fecues are grazed out leaving only the wild type.