At this time all Novel Endophyte Tall Fescue should be planted, as recommended by all states in the tall fescue belt. This year, again due to the dry weather, many farmers delayed past normal planting dates, waiting for moisture. The Alliance for Grassland Renewal recommends holding off on seeding if soil was excessively dry until a “trigger” date at which all seed should go in the ground, even if there is no soil moisture. The final trigger date for the southern regions of the fescue belt is November 15, so if you have not planted yet, get that seed in the ground in the next several days. Recent rains in the western tall fescue belt will really help new stands that were planted this fall, and second year stands as well. Rain is still badly needed in most areas of the Eastern Tall Fescue Belt.
Once the seed is in the ground, monitor it periodically to look for germination. Of course, if you planted on time and had some moisture then this all started a month ago. If you have some moisture, germination should happen in about 5 to 8 days. If it is dry, then rest assured that the seed will wait on moisture and then will germinate. Some areas with some soil moisture may germinate, and others not, and this is normal. As you check these fields, look for weed seedlings and start planning on your spraying program if you find some. Check back periodically on the stand, but don’t obsess about it because there is really nothing you can do this month unless irrigation is an option for you. Be encouraged if you see seedlings, but don’t be too discouraged if the new stand is spotty; things will improve when moisture is available. If you do have access to irrigation then apply a significant amount of water (1 inch) to get germination, and then again if needed to maintain some soil moisture.
Novel endophyte tall fescue stands planted last year can be grazed as needed, making sure not to graze shorter than 4”, and allowing rest to protect regrowth from grazing. If you have significant skips or places where the stand is not good then overdrill with novel endophyte tall fescue or other cool season perennial after grazing to make sure other species don’t take hold in these areas.
Remember that KY31 tall fescue is especially toxic during the autumn growing season. Especially when dry conditions are followed by wet, the resulting biomass is very toxic during September, October and November. In December the toxin levels start to decline, so traditional stockpiling programs recommend grazing after mid-December. With novel endophyte tall fescue, there are no ergot toxins produced in the autumn, so it can be rotationally grazed as needed or stockpiled for use later in winter. Research has shown that novel endophyte tall fescue holds up in stockpiling as well as toxic tall fescue.
If you have not tested your hay, take samples and have them analyzed. Forage testing is one of the most underutilized resources there is. Whether you sell hay or use it yourself, testing forage is the only way to reliably feed a balanced ration. There is also a growing premium market for Novel Endophtye Tall Fescue Hay, and providing a nutrient test is another added value you can offer your customers.
~ Matt Poore, NC State and Chair of the Alliance for Grassland Renewal
The Alliance for Grassland Renewal is a national organization focused on enhancing the appropriate adoption of novel endophyte tall fescue technology through education, incentives, self-regulation and promotion. For more resources or to learn more about the Alliance for Grassland Renewal, go to www.grasslandrenewal.org
The Alliance for Grassland Renewal 