> I would be interested on what is
> said about stickpiled fescue
> regaurding endophyte. The results
> that the U of MO put out were
> preliminary. I have heard too
> about the endophyte in stored
> seed, but I'm curious if it then
> looses it's persistence or
> germination rate.
> dun
They said the endophyte "free" is basically pretty worthless. It just isn't hardy enough and the endophyte infected will come back and crowd it out in a few years.
They highly recommend planting the "friendly" endophyte fescue where possible. It is as hardy as the other, but they realize that many areas of fescue are places you wouldn't pull a drill. They say to pen the cows up for three days when they come off the regular endophyte fescue pastures before they go into a pasture without it. Else the cows will spread what is in 'em. This would apply to feeding the old fescue hay also. Sounds like a guy could change over his pastures over time as long as you keep a plan in place to keep old fescue hay and manure off new fescue pastures. Then talked about "Novel endophyte fescue" or "Max Q Fescue" and a google search for either gets you a lot of info.
On the stockpiling, they said it does appear that the effects of the endophyte dissapate in stockpiled fescue over time, but that the effects are sometimes more or less concentrated due to the growing conditions the fescue endures each year. (Drought makes for more endophyte effects.) Stockpiled fescue grazed late one winter may be worse than what was grazed early another year. In other words we need to know when the endophyte is really bad so we can make sure we let the stockpile wait that year.
Fescue - A weed for all seasons!
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