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Central IA | Very little fescue here in the middle of the state, but somehow I ended up with some of it, lol! When I was 16 I bought some first calf heifers and put on it not knowing and understanding what I was dealing with. Sluffed a tail or two and I had a he@$ of a time keeping them in condition. As stated, about 25% open at preg check. It scared me so much that I didn't run anything on that pasture for about the next three years and, instead, mowed and baled it for hay. I had no problems with the cured dry hay. I visited with a fellow and he "brought me up to speed" on what I had and how it needed to be managed. Since then, I have had no issues. I turn them out early when there is a "grab and a half" of grass and I over stock it by all practical metrics. It's ten acres and I run 10 pairs on it. Mow it if it's getting close to heading and the cows aren't keeping up. I used to feed Kent mineral with CTC, but I've switched to VitaFerm HEAT mineral and haven't noticed any ill effects yet. I always keep some replacements and buy a couple heifers every year with no real selection in terms of exposure to fescue, but, as stated, maybe the sensitive ones weed themselves out by not breeding back? I do know I don't have trouble keeping condition on them any longer. I do feed about 2# of corn per head daily to keep them coming into the corral, and I probably start creep feeding the calves earlier than some others with better pasture options, but it's what I have and seems to work "here" if you understand a little about what you have.
Edited by ISUAgBusiness 2/13/2018 08:02
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Introducing cows to fescue.
