Cceequine.com

Agronomy Facts 28
Tall Fescue
Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is a deep-rooted, Tall fescue is the best adapted cool-season grass to long-lived, sod-forming grass that spreads by short under- stockpile (accumulate growth) for use in fall and winter ground stems called rhizomes. In Pennsylvania it has been (Table 2). In addition, compared with other cool-season used primarily for conservation purposes but is well suited grasses, tall fescue is generally of higher quality in fall as hay, silage, or pasture. It is well adapted to the soil and because of greater leaf retention. Thus, tall fescue can sup- weather conditions of Pennsylvania (Table 1). It is espe- ply much of the spring, fall, and winter feed for a beef cow cially well adapted to acid, wet soils of shale origin and produces more forage than other cool-season grasses on soils with a pH of less than 5.5. Table 2. Yield of grasses during the summer and when Tall fescue is drought resistant and maintains itself under rather limited fertility conditions. It is also ideal for water-ways, ditch and pond banks, and farm lots and lanes. It is the best grass for areas of heavy livestock and machinery traffic.
tons/acre
In the past, animals readily grazed tall fescue during April, May, and early June, and again in the fall, but they showed reluctance to graze it during July and August. Some of this reduced summer palatability, which resulted in poor animal performance, is associated with the pres- Note: All grasses received 240 pounds N per acre.
ence of a fungus in the plant (endophytic). The fungus Source: Wedin et al.,10th International Grassland grows between the plant cells and overwinters in the base of the plant. The fungus produces alkaloids that are toxic to animals. These alkaloids are thought to cause the poor AdApted VArieties
conception rates, low birth weights, and low daily gains of animals grazing fungus-infected tall fescue. Endophyte-free Numerous varieties are adapted for use in Pennsylvania, varieties are now available and are recommended for new but the endophyte-free varieties are higher in quality than varieties infected with the endophyte fungus. Endophyte- Table 1. Characteristics of perennial cool-season grasses in Pennsylvania. Seedling
Tolerance to soil limitations
Tolerance to
Relative
Droughty Wet Low pHb
Persistence frequent harvest maturityc
a. L = low, M = moderate, H = high.
b. pH below 6.0.
c. Maturity characteristic refers to relative time of seed head appearance in the spring. This will depend not only on the College of Agricultural Sciences • Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension infected varieties are well suited for planting on reclaimed Tall fescue withstands closer grazing and more abuse strip mines and for other conservation uses where soil than most cool-season grasses, but it can be overgrazed conditions are unusually adverse for plant growth.
to the point that vigor and production are reduced. Don’t Because of differences in growth habit, palatability, and graze closer than 3 or 4 inches, and allow at least 30 days time of year best used, other grasses should not be included with tall fescue at seeding time. However, legumes can be An improvement in animal performance has been included in the seeding mixture with tall fescue, although reported for the new endophyte-free varieties relative the stand may eventually be used as a pure tall fescue stand to endophyte-infected varieties of tall fescue. Increased for winter stockpiling. The legumes will persist for several average daily gains of 0.5 pound per animal per day have years, improve forage quality, and serve as a source of been reported for 7- to 12-month-old angus steers that have nitrogen for the tall fescue. Regardless of the seeding mix- grazed endophyte-free compared to endophyte-infected ture, it is recommended that endophyte-free seed be used if tall fescue. In a two-year study at Penn State comparing the tall fescue is to serve as animal feed. endophyte-free tall fescue varieties, animal performance was similar for all varieties (Table 4). estAblishment
Other tests comparing orchardgrass and endophyte-free Tall fescue and accompanying legumes can be seeded in tall fescue for animal performance had similar results. spring or late summer. Spring seedings should be made While orchardgrass is generally of higher quality during as early as possible to avoid hot, dry weather when the spring and summer, tall fescue quality is higher in the fall, seedlings are small. Late-summer seedings usually have less weed competition and more favorable moisture condi-tions than spring seedings. Late-summer seedings should Table 4. Average daily gains of ewes and lambs grazing be made before August 15 in northern Pennsylvania and endophyte-free tall fescue varieties. For seeding tall fescue alone, 12 pounds of seed per acre is adequate. Tall fescue in legume mixtures should be Spring Summer
seeded at 8 to 10 pounds per acre (Table 3).
lbs/animal/day
For best results, band seed tall fescue ¼ inch deep. Press wheels used in conjunction with band seeding add addi- tional stand insurance. If the seedbed is dry and not firm, cultipack before seeding to make a firm seedbed.
Source: L. C. Vecellio, 1992, master’s thesis, Depart-ment of Dairy and Animal Science.
Table 3. Seeding rates for tall fescue and a single legume in mixture. If fescue is to be used during the summer, maintain a legume in the stand to improve animal performance. Otherwise, allow the late-summer growth to accumulate With any one of these legumes
for use in fall or winter stockpiling. Tall fescue that is used exclusively for stockpiling is usually maintained in Fertility
Prior to seeding, determine lime and fertilizer needs by soil test. Although tall fescue can achieve adequate yields on low-pH soils, maximum productivity is achieved when hArVest mAnAgement
the pH is between 6.0 and 7.0. In the absence of a soil test Tall fescue can be part of a forage program but should not for tall fescue seeded alone, plow down 0-45-135 pounds be all of it. Legumes with tall fescue improve animal per- per acre and apply 20-20-20 pounds per acre at planting formance and increase forage production during the sum- (banded if possible) when seeding without a legume. While mer. Legumes are difficult to maintain in a tall fescue sod, small amounts of nitrogen and potash are beneficial at seed- but certain management practices will help keep legumes in ing, too high a concentration of these elements can interfere the stand. Two such practices are maintaining pH above 6.0 with germination. Do not apply nitrogen at seeding if tall and making annual applications of potash. Tall fescue grown with either red or white clover should Under pasture conditions it is difficult to evaluate the not be allowed to smother the legume in the spring. This amounts of nutrients removed by grazing animals. Grazing can be avoided by grazing early and close to the soil sur- animals trample or leave some of the total growth available face. Red clover is a short-lived perennial and must be man- to them. This is returned directly to the soil. Manure is not aged to produce seed if red clover is desired in the stand deposited evenly across the field; most studies show that about 12 to 15 percent of a pasture area is covered with ma- nure by grazing animals each year. If an estimated 3 tons of Tall fescue-legume mixtures should be topdressed an- forage is produced from a pasture field, an annual applica- nually with phosphorus and potassium. A fescue-legume tion of fertilizer at 0-20-60 pounds per acre should maintain mixture removes about 15 pounds phosphate and 45 pounds potash from the soil for each ton of hay produced. Phos- If pure tall fescue stands are used, high yields can be phorus and potassium can be applied anytime during the expected if fertilizer is applied during the winter or very early spring. This is especially true for the nitrogen por-tion of the fertilizer. Tall fescue to be used for hay should receive 100 to 150 pounds N during the winter period. The Tall fescue is a deep-rooted, sod-forming grass best adapted same amount should be applied if tall fescue is to be used to cool-season production. It is extremely well suited for for early grazing. If much fall pasture is desired, reapply use as a stockpile forage because it retains its quality and improves in palatability in the fall. It is well adapted to When legumes make up 30 percent or more of a tall low-pH soils like those found in strip mine reclamation. fescue or any grass stand, do not use nitrogen fertilizer. It is more tolerant of animal and machinery traffic and When these stands are topdressed with fertilizer containing mismanagement than are other cool-season grasses. nitrogen, the growth looks dark green and appears more Endophyte-free varieties improve animal acceptance of lush, but research shows that production is not increased. In and performance on tall fescue. Tall fescue can be part of addition, applying nitrogen fertilizer to mixed stands will a forage program, but it should not be the only species in cause the grass to dominate the mixture. Prepared by Marvin H. Hall, professor of forage management.
Visit Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences on the Web: www.cas.psu.edu
Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences research, extension, and resident education programs are funded in part by Pennsylvania coun-ties, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
This publication is available from the Publications Distribution Center, The Pennsylvania State University, 112 Agricultural Administration Building, University Park, PA 16802. For information telephone 814-865-6713.
Where trade names appear, no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement by Penn State Cooperative Extension is implied. This publication is available in alternative media on request.
The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by University policy or by state or federal authorities. It is the policy of the University to maintain an academic and work environment free of discrimi-nation, including harassment. The Pennsylvania State University prohibits discrimination and harassment against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status. Discrimination or harassment against faculty, staff, or students will not be tolerated at The Pennsylvania State University. Direct all inqui-ries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative Action Director, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901; Tel 814-865-4700/V, 814-863-1150/TTY.
Produced by Ag Communications and Marketing The Pennsylvania State University 2008 CODE # UC091 R2M08/08mpc3141

Source: http://cceequine.com/fact_sheets/pasture_management/Tall%20Fescue.pdf