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Managing Tall Fescue tor the Beef Cow Herd
Howell N. Wheaton and Lowell L Wilson, Agronomy and Animal Sciences Department
Tall fescue is well-adapted to the many different soil and climatic conditions of Indiana. It will provide feed under weather and fertility conditions where many other grasses will fail. Fescue sod resists damage from trampling and prevents erosion. Unfortunately, its acceptability is usually lower than orchardgrass, brome, bluegrass or timothy. However, if properly managed, fescue can successfully be used for much of the hay and pasture for a beef cow herd.
Establishment
The establishment of a fescue seeding depends on the local soil and moisture conditions . However, there are some general guidelines to be considered:
(1)	To prevent spotted grazing, do not include other grasses in fescue seedings.
(2)	Spring seedings are favored by good moisture conditions, but annual weeds and early summer droughts cause considerable hazard.
(3)	Fall seedings made in early-seeded wheat are generally most successful. If extreme drought conditions prevail in the fall, seed the fescue in wheat during January or February in Southern Indiana.
(4)	Fifteen pounds of certified seed, high in germination, and seeded with one-half to three-fourths pound of Ladino clover, is generally sufficient. If field-run cleaned seed is used, rates as high as 20 to 25 pounds are more desirable because of the differences in inert matter and germination percentages.
(5)	Red clover (8 to 10 pounds/acre) may be used with fescue. It will furnish excellent-quality hay and pasture for two years while the sod is becoming established.
(6)	Fifteen pounds of Korean lespedeza may be seeded in the mixture.
(7)	Alfalfa may be seeded at the rate of 8 to 10 pounds per acre on well-drained, high-fertility soils . However, alfalfa does not usually persist too long under grazing conditions.
Maintaining a good stand
Once a fescue seeding is established, close grazing is a good management practice. Fescue is more acceptable and generally has more nutritive value if it is grazed closely or clipped. Although fescue will withstand heavy grazing for short periods, long periods of extremely heavy grazing may damage the stand. Rotational, rather than continuous grazing, combined with a good fertility program, is important in maintaining fescue stands and legumes that may be present in the fescue sods.
Beef Section • Animal Sciences Department Cooperative Extension Service, PURDUE UNIVERSITY, Lafayette, Indiana
AS-339 February, 1966