Novel endophyte fescue establishment

[dun]

http://www.noble.org/Ag/Soils/TallFescue/index.html

 

[brandonm_13]

Interesting read. I know quite a few feed stores recommend interseeding ryegrass so erosion from bare soil will be kept to a minimum. Could be a mistake.

 

[dun]

Interesting read. I know quite a few feed stores recommend interseeding ryegrass so erosion from bare soil will be kept to a minimum. Could be a mistake.

Probably only with the novel endophyte variaties. With KY31 I drill it into established grass and it takes off just fine.

 

[brandonm_13]

I thought the novel fescue was supposed to have the same kind of growth and tenacity of standard varieties like KY31. Of course, I've never sown any so I'm just assuming, which is never a good thing.

 

[Douglas]

Seems to me that article pretty much is saying to control your existing grass and weeds before planting. Since ryegrass is a weed in a fescue stand you need to control it. I don't really see how the novel endophyte fescue case makes it any different than any other prennial grass. The real issue with novel is how to replace existing toxic stands to keep the toxic seeds from invading the new stuff.

 

[brandonm_13]

Aside from testing, when do you really know when infected fescue creeps into your novel infected fescue?

 

[Douglas]

Toxic only spreads by seed. Testing is the only way i know.

 

[talldog]

I thought the novel fescue was supposed to have the same kind of growth and tenacity of standard varieties like KY31. Of course, I've never sown any so I'm just assuming, which is never a good thing.

Sounds like you and ASSUME have crossed paths in the past !! :cowboy:

 

[brandonm_13]

Well, the only reason I have to ASSUME on this is because I would never spend the money to plant fescue(no matter what kind), because there are so many better grasses out there. Besides, we have so much KY31 planted around here, it wouldn't do much good. I prefer to deal with it, and hope good management will keep it to a minimum.

 

[dyates]

Well, the only reason I have to ASSUME on this is because I would never spend the money to plant fescue(no matter what kind), because there are so many better grasses out there. Besides, we have so much KY31 planted around here, it wouldn't do much good. I prefer to deal with it, and hope good management will keep it to a minimum.

Good luck keeping fescue to a minimum. I have decided to embrace it, along with the johnson grass. Fescue made close to 3 tons to the acre on the first cutting this year (juries still out on quality, it looked good, but it was late and I don't have the tests back yet). Looks like the Johnson grass will make another respectable tonnage in a second cutting from the same fields. The JG tested 13% CP last year and the fescue was 9 something. I do wish this novel stuff weren't so expensive. I might try some.

 

[brandonm_13]

I love johnsongrass. Apparently so do the cows because I can only keep it in the hay fields. First thing the cows do in a new field is eat the johnsongrass.

 

[dun]

Good luck keeping fescue to a minimum. I have decided to embrace it

When we first moved here I hated the stuff. Now I'm not crazy about it but with managment it's possible to not have wrecks by grazing it. With our breed back (usually 100% in a 45 day breeding season) and weaning weights averaging in the mid 6s I just wonder how much better they would do if our pastures weren;t mostly fescue and clover.

 

[brandonm_13]

I think the best thing you can do if you have it is to seed a high percentage of clovers in it. I know some people who don't like clover because it takes longer to dry when they cut it for hay. They really don't know what they're missing out on.