proud2Bafarmer - 3/20/2013 06:07

Does fescue eventually fill back in? QUOTE]


not if your lucky it doesnt.... but most cattle guys cant get that lucky!... thin stands of fescue can actually be more competitive that carpet like stands becasue the plants arent root locked and will crown out real nice... thats why most good fescue seed guys try to keep it burnt back with off label burndowns to keep it in rows.... makes for some stupid healthy big crowned plants!!.......... but stupid healthy big crowned fescue plants are the last thing you want if youre a cattle guy, becasue those big nice plants are the only ones that survived the heat, drought, and then the winter... which means there probably by far the hottest in endophyte (the high endophyte is why they lived and everything else didnt).... here in southwest mo where fescue is king and we were texas dry for 2+ years, the fescue toxicosis levels have reached unbelivable levels!!.... cattle walking around with bloody nubs where there hoof used to be, no tails.... and cows raising 250 pound calves that could be raising 650 weights.... and its partially becasue all the orchard grass and clovers got toasted... and partially becasue the only fescue plants still alive are the doozies!............ id be trying to get some ryegrass in there... its the only thing that will compete with the fescue if your not man enough to spray it out... (i myself would jimmy rig something togethor to round-up it a coulple times.... and plant about 4 pounds to the acre of max q or another novel endophyte fescue [they tell you you need to plant 20lbs per acre, which makes it very costly to establish... but theyre lieing... they just want to sell seed!.... the guys that have the best stands around here manage it for seed production and only planted 2lbs to the acre or so....)... would also go with a full dose of clover.... dont get all caught up in the 7 dollar pennington durana and patriot stuff.... or the red clover that you pay for 33% seed treatment... just get a good improved 3 year red clover and maybe some alsike or something for fun.... and remember, annual ryegrass acts as perennial many places.... so unless you want it, dont plant it... but if your a cattleman, once youve had it..... you wont want anything but!.....
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