How warm before fescue starts growing?

[hillbilly beef man]

I know that fescue starts growing SLOWLY when the soil temps reach 38 degrees. How long does it take for the ground temps to come up after the days get into the upper 40s and lows in the mid 30s? I have noticed that when the weather gets like this even for a few days my cows spend a good part of the day grazing instead of eating hay. Are they getting a little bit of new growth or just finishing off stockpiled forage?

 

[Ebenezer]

It's new growth and could be stockpiled fescue that got cleaned up a little by a rain. Soil temp data is one thing hard to find unless you are near an ag experimental station where they record it. Otherwise, put a thermometer in to a depth of 5" in the wide open and just check it.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

I was going to do this with an old meat probe till I noticed that it started reading at 110 F. Not much help there. I will have to see if I can find a low temp thermometer,not that matters other than for curiosity.

 

[Kell-inKY]

Onion grass could be what they are picking at, mine are always starved for something green and go to town as soon as it comes up (which it has around here). Not really good for them but nothing I can do about it with my pastures in the shape they are for now. My fescue is still completely dormant and I'm only a little north of you.

 

[Bigfoot]

Any warm sun shiney day, will kinda make the crown on fescue green a little. 3 days in a row, certainly will. I have noticed that any warm, bright day will cause my cows to eat considerably less hay. they will go out, and pick and browse. Is the warm weather that gets them out? Is it the slight green up? I don't know, but I look forward to it.

 

[Ky hills]

I have noticed my cattle leaving the hay and are grazing on something on warmer days. An old friend used to say when they were trying to eat and grass was short, " I don't know what they're eatin', but they got their heads to the ground ".

 

[Ebenezer]

Time to remember about grass tetany.

 

[Kell-inKY]

On a related note, when can I start spreading some fescue on the overused spots to have them trample it in? I know it's too cold still, but will it rot if I spread it out right now?

I realize spring is not the ideal time for planting fescue.

 

[Bigfoot]

On a related note, when can I start spreading some fescue on the overused spots to have them trample it in? I know it's too cold still, but will it rot if I spread it out right now?

I realize spring is not the ideal time for planting fescue.

A freeze in February is your best bet, only a snow would be better. IMHO.