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Fannin Soil & Water Conservation District
|
NEWSLETTER
| Volume 11 |
Fall 2004 |
Number 2-2 |
NEW COOL SEASON FORAGE
By: Randy Moore, District
Conservationist/Wildlife Biologist
A new cool season forage produced by Pennington Seed Company could be a good replacement for Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue. The MaxQ Fescue has an endophyte that is not toxic to cattle or horses as is the case with KY31.
Type: Cool season perennial (produces most of its forage in the Fall, Winter and early spring months) grass.
Endophytes: Endophytes are important to a tall fescue plant. The fungus aids the plant in being more tolerant to heat and drought stress, plus adds tolerance to some insects and disease. However, the fungus produces toxins, which are harmful to livestock. MaxQ™ endophyte provides all of the beneficial effects for the plant but does not produce the harmful toxins.
Adaptation Grows very well where KY 31 is grown. Best adapted to clay or clay loam soils. Tolerant to soil acidity and poor drainage, but performs best on soils with good water holding capacity and a pH of 6.0-6.5. Relatively tolerant to drought. Not suited to droughty, sandy soils.
Uses: MaxQ™ enhanced tall fescue provides excellent permanent pastures for cattle, sheep and horses. Where cut in early boot stage it also produces a very high quality hay and provides high quality, abundant forage for a long period of time each year. Highest productivity, September-December and March-June. Best practice is to rest fescue pastures during the summer months.
Nutrition: With good management practices, tall fescue can produce Crude Protein levels of 15-16%: TDN in the 60-62% range. However, environmental conditions and management practices will determine individual results.
Planting: For best results and benefit all toxic tall fescue should be killed before trying to establish a stand of fescue with MaxQ™.
Rate: 20lbs/acre in prepared seedbed and 25lbs/acre sod-seeded in stubble. NRCS will suggest a reduced rate of 15 lbs/acre in a prepared seedbed.
Date: Southern and Southeastern States: Sep. 1 to Nov. 1.
Method: A firm seedbed is important for good stand establishment. You can drill into prepared firm seedbed, no-till drill into sod or broadcast and pack in seed. Place seed at a depth of ¼” to ½”, but never deeper than ½”. Do not graze or cut seedling stand until it reaches 6”-8” tall. Use only light rotational grazing in the first year and never graze or cut closer than 2”. During periods of heat and drought stress it is best to rotate cattle more frequently.
Cost: The cost is running about $4.00 per pound which makes it a little expensive to plant. If it will persist in our area, this initial cost may be worth it.
Local Trials: Larry Smith of Ravenna planted about 20 acres last year. He got a great stand and is very satisfied with the grass.
For more information, contact the USDA-NRCS office in Bonham, TX at 903-583-9513 extension 3.
Picture: (L-R) James Alderson, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service Plant
Materials Specialist and Larry Smith, rancher in the Ravenna Community examining
MaxQ Fescue after one year of growth. Looks pretty good! This field of grass
is in the Caney Creek bottom on loam soils.