Do we need fescue?

[MULESKINNER]

My father, a 65 year old native of Nelson county (bloomfield/bargetown) was just telling me that roughly 45 years ago the state agriculture department started a fescue program. They were encouraging farmers state wide to plant fescue. He said that it was the top priority item for the department for several years and that fescue was recommended because of high nutritional value and great for stopping soil erosion according to the Ag. dept.
My dad says that he went from hardly seeing any growing up to seeing it dominate the landscape.

Has anyone else heard of this or have any info about it?...AND...
Where can a person get more info about the pros and cons of fescue?

L A T E R . . .

[MULESKINNER]

I just did some browsing and found out that the University of Kentucky was at the forefront of fescue introduction. They released a form of tall fescue called r41 (I think thats right) for introduction in the mid 40s. Now most midwest states are fighting to get rid of the stuff thanks to...(gulp)...us Kentuckians.
Dad never said it was the Ag. Department. I kind off assumed that.
Oh well...never wrong, just mistaken.
I guess I answered my own question, but I would still be interested if anyone has more info about the introduction of the stuff.
L A T E R . . .

[CPA Hunter]

I think our wonderful UofK is still doing researh on fescue. Kind of like somebody that got into a deal way over their head and now can't get out. CSS knows a lot about this so maybe he can elaborate. Oh yea, those bag worms that killed the colts -- NOT, some biologist know, but UK could not blame itself for the real problem that it started in the first place.

All I know is you can go to 2 farms of similar cover -- one with and one without fescue and the game is doubled on the farm without fescue.

[perrymax]

UK introduced Ky 31 tall fescue in the 40's.I,to believe that the endophite fungus that lives in all Ky 31,plus the weather conditions of last year,had a lot to do with the aborted colts.I think there is probobly alot of politics there!!

Fescue is good for overgraised hillsides.It takes alot of abuse.The only thing tougher is crabgrass.Most farms around me are overgraised!!A farmer has got to pay the bills,just like everybody else.

I have 15 acres I've converted to native warm season grass.I've sprayed fescue with Roundup,Plateau,and I've plowed it under.It keeps coming back.Fescue is here to stay.All you can do is keep it in check.

[Multidigits]

As perrymax states, fescue has it's uses. As CSS could tell you, it's still required by some agencies, such as the Forest Service, for erosion control, ditch banks, waterbars, log trails, etc. I had a SIP project on my farm and fescue was specified as the grass seed of choice, assuming I wanted the funds from the Fed's.

The only thing tougher than fescue, is astro turf. That's why Papa John's Stadium has astro turf--to kee their cheer leaders from grazing! I don't think that U of K is responsible for the wide spread use of fescue. If it hadn't served the purpose of those using it, it wouldn't have gained wide spread use.

[Multidigits]

Here's what U of K had to do with it. Any problems that you have finding rabbits on a farm are not the fault of UK. As you can see, CPA, all UK did was work on the problems of the grass, not manate the use of the grass or even develop the grass. In other words, Get your facts straight.

Discovery of Ky 31 (Tall fescue)

In 1931, Dr. E.N. Fergus discovered Kentucky 31 tall fescue, as it was later named, growing on the W.M. Suiter farm in Menifee County in eastern Kentucky. Dr. Fergus was in Menifee County judging at a sorghum show when a local man approached him and asked if he was aware of a good grass that was growing in the county. Dr. Fergus was taken to the Suiter farm where he observed several fields of this "wonder grass." One large hillside, protected against erosion and with livestock grazing on it, was covered with the grass. Although the weather had been cold, the grass was still green.
Dr. Fergus obtained about a pound of seed from Mr. Suiter which he seeded on the University of Kentucky Experiment Station farm in 1932. The seed for the original planting on the farm presumably had come from a seedsman in Virginia, and a patch of the grass was likely growing on the farm when Mr. Suiter purchased it in 1887. Since it had been growing in Menifee County for many years, Dr. Fergus had no doubts about the plant's climatic adaptation.

Early seedings throughout the state showed the grass to have a long life and hardy persistence. It was also noted to be unusually deep-rooted for a cool-season grass. When recognized as a variety of tall fescue, it was named Kentucky 31 after the year in which it was discovered. From 1932 to 1939, seedings were made in outlying soil experimental fields and, in 1939, seed was distributed by W.C. Johnstone for trials by interested farmers. After testing, this grass was released in 1942 as the "Kentucky 31" variety. In 1945, it was included in the Kentucky seed certification program. Kentucky farmers readily accepted the new variety and seeded vast acreage with it.

Researchers at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture have made and continue to make significant strides towards solving the forage quality problems of tall fescue

It appeared that a toxic substance occasionally developed in the fescue which caused constriction of the blood vessels in the extremities of the animal. Dr. Lowell Bush and his associates at the University of Kentucky later found that an alkaloid (organic toxin) contained in tall fescue reduced the rate of cellulose digestion in the rumen. Researchers at the UK Agricultural Experiment Station attacked these problems through plant breeding efforts under the leadership of Dr. R.C. Buckner who is recognized nationally and internationally for his work on tall fescue. Dr. Buckner released the varieties Kenwell in 1965 and Kenhy in 1976. Johnstone, a low endophyte/low alkaloid variety, was released in 1982. Research in conjunction with Dr. Buckner's work was conducted by many members of the Departments of Animal Sciences, Agronomy and Plant Pathology. Research at the University of Kentucky, along with research from other states, has convincingly demonstrated that the endophytic fungus is creating quality problems in tall fescue. An interdisciplinary team of University of Kentucky researchers is presently seeking additional answers to the remaining questions concerning fescue quality. Advancements have been made in breeding and selection of fungus-free plants. Release of the Johnstone variety and selection within currently available varieties will provide seed with low fungus levels for new plantings.

[MULESKINNER]

Multi,
Thanks for the info.
Has the "alkaloid" in this form of fescue shown to be detrimental to livestock or just small game?
L A T E R . . .