ENDOPHYTE

[HDRider]

Is anyone having good luck with MaxQ fescue?

I am new to cattle. :cboy: Should I really worry about toxic endophyte fescue or can I just stick with Kentucky 31??

If not MaxQ what kind of endophyte free fescue do you like, and why???


AND, just to muddy the waters, what about Texoma MaxQ II ????

Thanks all.

 

[dun]

If you already have it growing stick with KY31 and dilute it with clover, red or white. Throwing some lespedeza in for later in the summer woudln;t hurt a bit either.

 

[pdfangus]

i am kind of with Dun....
also, select the cattle from your herd that can tolerate it and cull those that cannot.
manage the plant....most difficult time is when it is making seed heads.

 

[dun]

i am kind of with Dun....
also, ]select the cattle from your herd that can tolerate it and cull those that cannot.
manage the plant....most difficult time is when it is making seed heads.

Excellent point. Our cows are fat as ticks and raise good calves on some really hot fescue, but we've selected for that for years.

 

[Lucky_P]

My pastures are all MaxQ and Persist orchardgrass. Good stuff, but I would never, ever make the mistake I made while chasing those 'government dollars' and kill off my KY-31 fescue again. Far better to just keep a good mix of red, white/ladino clovers and lespedeza mixed in there to 'dilute' the effects of the endophyte and select for cattle that work on high-endophyte fescue.
But, since I'd followed the NRCS recommendations (they're NOT about farmers - they're all about wildlife) while chasing those EQUIP $$$ - and the orchardgrass/timothy/red clover mix they recommended petered out after 2-3 years, I had to reseed with something that would last on my own dime.
Reseeding pasture behind row crops or following a mistake that resulted in total loss of forage sward is the only reason I can think of to go to the expense of planting MaxQ - unless you're gonna be grazing pregnant mares.

 

[kenny thomas]

i am kind of with Dun....
also, select the cattle from your herd that can tolerate it and cull those that cannot.
manage the plant....most difficult time is when it is making seed heads.

I decided a while ago that even though I try something new almost every year I do best with what grows natural and cull cows that dont do well on it.

 

[Sweet_Ag_Girl]

To be honest, you never know if your MaxQ gets invaded by KY 31. Often they establish a plot and test to only find years later its been invaded. Its easier to work with what you got and learn how to use it.

 

[HDRider]

To be honest, you never know if your MaxQ gets invaded by KY 31. Often they establish a plot and test to only find years later its been invaded. Its easier to work with what you got and learn how to use it.

Could you explain "learn how to use it." How does one work with endophyte?

Thanks and I pray for rain for those in need. Amen

 

[dun]

To be honest, you never know if your MaxQ gets invaded by KY 31. Often they establish a plot and test to only find years later its been invaded. Its easier to work with what you got and learn how to use it.

Could you explain "learn how to use it." How does one work with endophyte?

Thanks and I pray for rain for those in need. Amen

You learn how to use it by keeping it vegative rather then reproductive, clip seed heads before grazing, rotational graze, dilute it with clover/lesedeza/OG maybe, and stockpile it for winter grazing.

 

[cotton1]

took a few acres out of crop land about 4 years ago and planted it in Max-Q. I got a real good stand and the first year I didnt let the cows on it. It got so thick by the spring it was hard to hay it. The second year it was pretty good, after that not too good at all. I will say that we have had a lot of dry, hot weather over the last few years, and I probably over grazed the stuff. Still not as good as the old 31 grass we had before the dry got it. Got some new ground Im thinking about ky 32 on, but dont know anything about it yet. If anybody here has tried it I would like info, it is supposed to be endophyte free/ friendly version of ky 31.

 

[4527VQA]

[/quote]
You learn how to use it by keeping it vegative rather then reproductive, clip seed heads before grazing, rotational graze, dilute it with clover/lesedeza/OG maybe, and stockpile it for winter grazing.[/quote]

I agree with this completely, a good culling program coupled with the proper management of the cattle on KY31 is key, in my area we clip just about every piece of ground that is in fescue, ergot alkaloid concentration (the endophyte stuff) is concentrated in mature seedheads, so like dun said clipping keeps the fescue in a vegetative stage with less endophyte present than a mature stand. Diluting with clover offsets the effects of fescue toxicosis as well as the summer slump with fescue. If you have the means and management know how, rotationally grazing a summer annual (sudex, millet, etc.) if you have access to a SWCD-rented drill is a feasible way to provide high quality forage during the summer slump, but it must be managed intensively. Short of switching to a Bos Indicus influenced animal which can tolerate the effects of fescue toxicosis (raised internal body temperature) mechanical management and dilution are your best options, as fescue is a "Can't live with it, can't live without it" type of forage. Also look at seedstock producers centered in the fescue belt for replacement heifers and bulls, Knoll Crest Farm in Red House, VA is just one example of cattle that have been raised on fescue for a long time and are very well acclimated to it.

 

[TN B&B]

i'm getting ready to plant 25 acres of Max Q. I want to see how it does. I'll let you know in the next couple years.

 

[smuff76]

I can't see how anyone could possibly rationalize paying $3.50 per lb. for a Novel Endophyte fescue when an Endophyte free is at least $2 per lb cheaper and KY31 would be another $.30-40 cheaper than that.

Your spending decent alfalfa money on fescue.......

Add clover and lespedeza and save the money you would spend on the seed and just bail the KY31 before it sets seed or brushhog it after.

 

[dun]

I can't see how anyone could possibly rationalize paying $3.50 per lb. for a Novel Endophyte fescue when an Endophyte free is at least $2 per lb cheaper and KY31 would be another $.30-40 cheaper than that.

Your spending decent alfalfa money on fescue.......

Add clover and lespedeza and save the money you would spend on the seed and just bail the KY31 before it sets seed or brushhog it after.

The reason the endophyte free stuff is cheaper is because it doesn;t persist like either the novel stuff or KY31.

 

[ANAZAZI]

The reason the endophyte free stuff is cheaper is because it doesn;t persist like either the novel stuff or KY31.

Persistance: ky31 and novel endophyte are in one category and endophyte free much weaker.

Animal performance: endophyte free and novel perform the same, and ky31 much less.

And if you mix ky31 with some other fescue, and graze it, the ky31 will take over because it is eaten by the cattle a little less. And it will outlive the endophyte free fescue anyway. Right?

 

[dun]

The reason the endophyte free stuff is cheaper is because it doesn;t persist like either the novel stuff or KY31.

Persistance: ky31 and novel endophyte are in one category and endophyte free much weaker.

Animal performance: endophyte free and novel perform the same, and ky31 much less.

And if you mix ky31 with some other fescue, and graze it, the ky31 will take over because it is eaten by the cattle a little less. And it will outlive the endophyte free fescue anyway. Right?

RIGHT, but here is the old but..................... KY31 diluted with clover or other grasses ( I don;t know for sure but I would wager) you wouldn;t see a significant difference in weight/condition/fertility to the novel stuff.

 

[ANAZAZI]

RIGHT, but here is the old but..................... KY31 diluted with clover or other grasses ( I don;t know for sure but I would wager) you wouldn;t see a significant difference in weight/condition/fertility to the novel stuff.

I beleive you. The question is if a field of pure fescue will outperform a field of fescue/clover? I would think so, talking about forage yeild.
Then again the Mix would require less nitrogen, wich will push the economics of it the other way.

 

[sassafras manor]

What would be the outward effects that the cattle would exhibit when on regular endophyte affected fescue?

 

[dun]

It can have a bunch of forms from elevated body temps, tails or hoofs falling off, unthrifty looking, not shedding out and alwasy looking rough coated, poor conception or just plain infertility, poor weight gain, low weaning weights, and on and on.

 

[angusdave63]

how long does it take the cows th straghten out after suffering the effects of the k 31. i have been culling, but wondered if they would still work on an alfalfa orchard grass pasture the next year. or if they would even breed back for the next year.