Using Orchardgrass and Endophyte‐Free Fescue Versus Endophyte‐Infected Fescue Overseeded on Bermudagrass for Cow Herds: I. Four‐Year Summary of Forage Characteristics

Abstract

A systems trial was designed to evaluate forage characteristics within mixed-species pastures consisting of (i) endophyte-infected tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.; E1) mixed with common bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] and other forages; (ii) endophyte-free tall fescue (E2) overseeded into dormant common bermudagrass; and (iii) orchardgrass (OG; Dactylis glomerata L.) established under the same conditions as E2. The E2 and OG pastures were grazed with either twice weekly (2W) or twice monthly (2M) rotation schedules, but E1 was grazed only as 2M. Across 41 sampling dates (2000 through 2003) the mean forage mass across all forage systems was 3809 kg ha 21 , and there was an interaction of forage system and sampling date (P 5 0.001). In vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD) and crude protein (CP) varied (P , 0.0001) with sampling date in seasonal patterns that were generally predictable. Frequencies of tall fescue in E2 and E1 pastures increased (P , 0.10) over years, reaching numerical maxima (61 to 72%) at the end of the trial. For OG, frequencies reached numerical maxima of 52 and 42% in 2W and 2M pastures, respectively, but then declined (P , 0.10) over time, ending at 39 and 24%, respectively. At the end of the trial, reinfection of OG pastures by rogue E1 plants reached a numerical maximum frequency of only 10%, and concentrations of total ergot alkaloids in tall fescue plants from E2 pastures were only about 25% of those for E1 pastures, thereby suggesting that pasture toxicity can be reduced substantially for at least 5 yr using these alternative forage systems.

Meadow Fescue, Tall Fescue, and Orchardgrass Response to Defoliation Management

“…In addition to being endophyte‐free, the tall fescue cultivar used here was selected for improved palatability and livestock acceptance (the soft‐leaf trait). Even with the incorporation of this trait, tall fescue retained the productivity and persistence advantage others have observed in tall fescue compared with other temperate grasses in a variety of environments (Brummer and Moore, 2000; Coblentz et al, 2006; Denison and Perry, 1990; Hart et al, 1971).…”

Effects of Fescue Type and Sampling Date on the Nitrogen Disappearance Kinetics of Autumn-Stockpiled Tall Fescue,

“…In addition, most pastures throughout this region also contain significant percentages of bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] that can compete aggressively with tall fescue throughout the summer months (Coblentz et al, 2006a).…”

Tall Fescue Toxicosis Mitigation Strategies: Comparisons of Cow-Calf Returns in Spring- and Fall-Calving Herds

“…Novel endophyte cultivars were thus developed by removing the common endophyte and replacing it with a new beneficial endophyte, producing no ergot alkaloids to remove deleterious toxicosis effects on cattle while at the same time attempting to maintain the beneficial agronomic traits (Bouton et al, 2002;Vibart et al, 2008). Still, replacement of E1 pastures with nontoxic forages can be challenging in pastures with shallow soils that are prone to erosion and have poor water-holding capacity and may thus not be economically feasible in some locations (Coblentz et al, 2006a(Coblentz et al, , 2006b. Management techniques such as livestock rotations at key times in the year, dilution of tall fescue by interseeding perennials such as legumes, fertilizing pastures with low rates of nitrogen, ammonization of toxic fescue hay, and controlling seed heads in the field have been shown to lessen the impacts of toxicosis in cattle (Roberts and Andrae, 2004).…”