Profit Makeover

Novel Endophyte Fescue Boosts Gains, Cuts Grazing Time

Renovating old, toxic fescue pastures is a sure bet as cattle operators look for high-return improvements. (DTN/Progressive Farmer photo by Jim Patrico)

When Curtis Schallert's 40-year-old stands of Kentucky-31 fescue petered out a few years ago, the Missouri stocker operator decided to renovate his pastures with novel endophyte fescue.

For stocker producers such as Schallert, novel endophyte fescue has become a big deal. The Purdy, Mo., producer buys calves in the 525-pound range and turns them onto fescue. He sells the cattle at an average weight of 850 pounds. They gain 2.25 pounds a day grazing novel endophyte fescue. He has approximately 800 acres of novel endophyte fescue now and runs 800 to 1,100 stockers a year.

"Novel endophyte fescue is a significant improvement for our stocker operation," Schallert said. "My calves gain more weight while consuming the same amount of forage, and we cut 50 days off our grazing period."

Schallert's interest in the novel endophyte fescue was initially sparked by the way his calves tried to cool off in a pond one November day.

"My calves were all muddy from standing in the pond, and I could tell they didn't feel well after grazing the toxic fescue. I can't tell you how much more the calves gain on novel endophyte fescue, but I can tell you there's a big improvement in performance and general animal health," he said.

MANAGEMENT PAYOFF

Schallert rotates stockers through several 20- to 40-acre pastures. He stressed good management is important to protect novel endophyte fescue from overgrazing. But, he added, the value of the forage is worth the extra effort.

Novel endophytes help fescue resist drought, disease, insects and other stresses, and don't produce harmful side effects for livestock. Most stands of the original KY-31 fescue are infected with a toxin-producing endophyte (ergovaline) that can create severe problems for cattle.

Ergovaline causes constriction of the blood circulatory system in the animal. The damage shows up first in the animal's extremities (feet, tail and ears) and, in severe cases, causes cows to have sore feet (fescue foot) or missing tail switches. While sore feet and missing tail switches are obvious, decreased weight gains and reduced reproduction are just as real and much more costly. Other physical signs cattle consuming toxic fescue may exhibit include: rough (fuzzy) hair coats; reduced forage intake; reduced milk production; excessive water consumption; elevated body temperature; and excessive time spent standing in ponds, creeks and under shade trees.

P[L1] D[0x0] M[300x250] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]

ADDING POUNDS

Researchers connected livestock health problems and poor weight gains to fescue with toxic endophyte many years ago. In response, plant breeders released "fungus-free" varieties of fescue.

Unfortunately, in real-world pasture conditions, fungus-free fescue wasn't tough enough, and the stands dwindled. Scientists realized the endophyte protects fescue from pests, drought and overgrazing. So plant breeders went back to the drawing board and "married" tall fescue with nontoxic endophytes that protect plants but don't hurt livestock.

As a result, novel endophyte varieties stand up to heat and pests almost as well as KY-31, but livestock grazing novel endophyte fescue have better reproductive efficiency and higher weight gains.

In cow/calf research by the University of Georgia, average daily gains for calves increased an average 0.42 pounds per day on novel endophyte fescue compared to toxic fescue. Steer weaning weights jumped from 509 pounds per head (toxic fescue) to 575 pounds per head (novel endophyte fescue).

A NEW MAXQ

Marc Green, Winnabow, N.C., was one of the first producers in his state to plant novel endophyte fescue. Cattle here have been grazing Jesup MaxQ for 13 years.

"We like novel endophyte fescue because our average daily gains are better than the gains we see grazing bermudagrass," said Green, manager of Funston Farms. "If we make daily gains of a half-pound more per head, that's significant at $2-per-pound feeder-calf prices."

Funston Farms is home to 300 beef cows. Green backgrounds his calves for 60 to 90 days after weaning. They are sold in uniform loads (750 to 800 pounds) to feedlots. While Funston Farms' early novel endophyte plantings were made with Jesup MaxQ, Green is even more enthusiastic about the new Texoma MaxQ II variety and said he will plant 80 additional acres of novel endophyte fescue this fall.

"We first planted Texoma MaxQ two years ago, and this variety seems to have more vigor than the older Jesup MaxQ," Green said. "These novel endophyte varieties provide excellent grazing when we wean and background the calves in May, and again when the weather cools down in the fall."

NEED HELP RENOVATING?

The Alliance for Grassland Renewal has a goal of bringing the agricultural community together to replace toxic KY-31 fescue (most existing fescue stands) with a tall fescue that hosts nontoxic "novel" endophyte. The Alliance started in 2012 with the release of new varieties of novel endophyte fescue. For more information, visit www.grasslandrenewal.org.

PASTURE RENOVATION

Renovating toxic fescue pastures costs approximately $200 per acre. At seeding rates of 16 to 20 pounds per acre and a cost of $3.50 per pound, the seed cost of novel endophyte fescue is $56 to $70 per acre.

The primary goal while renovating pastures to novel endophyte fescue is to kill the existing toxic fescue and not allow any seed to survive and infest the new stand. To do this, Darrel Franson, Mt. Vernon, Missouri, used the spray/smother/spray technique.

The process he used began in the spring, when cows were allowed to graze the old stand down to about 3 inches. The goal was no seed production by the existing stand but enough leaf surface for glyphosate to effectively kill the old fescue. Franson used a rate of 2 quarts per acre, spot-spraying any surviving fescue after seven to 10 days.

For a smother crop, he planted pearl millet. He killed the smother crop in August, along with any volunteer grass, using glyphosate. About two weeks later, he planted 16 to 18 pounds per acre of novel endophyte fescue with a no-till drill rented from his local soil and water conservation district.

Franson's cows didn't graze the new fescue stand the first year, but he did cut the novel endophyte fescue for hay in early May and again in June and August.

"We make 3 tons per acre, and this hay is wonderful quality," he said. "My newly seeded fescue stand won't have a cow's foot on it until it's been growing 14 months. We don't want the new fescue to have any competition or unnecessary stress its first year."

Franson calculates increased sales of $15,400 per year for his 70-cow herd and said he should recover the pasture renovation costs in less than two years. He practices intensive rotational grazing and gives his cows new strips of fescue once or twice each day. In late winter of the stand's second year, Franson will frost-seed 3 pounds per acre of red clover with 1 pound of ladino clover.

(VM/CZ)

P[L2] D[728x90] M[320x50] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[R1] D[300x250] M[300x250] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[R2] D[300x250] M[320x50] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
DIM[1x3] LBL[] SEL[] IDX[] TMPL[standalone] T[]
P[R3] D[300x250] M[0x0] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]