Question re: pasture management versus rain slow downs

[Cotton*wood]

I

Sounds like a task for Sisyphus

Indeed.

 

[Cotton*wood]

Fined $100 per day? No wonder you want to get rid of it! I have never had that problem, I've never had any growing on my property. I guess that what come from just reading about it in articles where it is touted as the shepherd's answer to worms and parasites. Duh. HELLO!! Real world.

Well, like all things, it's complex--depends on where you live, and a whole bunch of other factors. And I just found out that the tops succumb to frost, whereas all the other clover is still green, so the sheep are not even going to get the benefit of it this late fall/early winter. Alas.

(And the fines are only if you're not "working on it", which is pretty easy--ie, communicating with the extension agent on a plan, so I don't know anyone who has ever had to pay any fines.)

 

[farmerjan]

Fescue does not do good in the far south..... likes colder temps. The plant is much more palatable after a frost... turns the starches to a sugar. We have alot of it here and it is managed to stockpile it for fall grazing and will extend our grazing season 2 months if no deep snow. Makes mediocre hay as far as palatability. The toxicity of the old strains will affect pregnant animals. Not something for smaller mammals, it can be useful in cattle operations if managed. Don't get me wrong, I personally despise it. But it has a place. Let's face it, alfalfa is a great forage, but it can cause some serious problems..... grazing it especially if damp/wet... can cause bloat and kill cattle in hours.

 

[Cotton*wood]

Fescue does not do good in the far south..... likes colder temps. The plant is much more palatable after a frost... turns the starches to a sugar. We have alot of it here and it is managed to stockpile it for fall grazing and will extend our grazing season 2 months if no deep snow. Makes mediocre hay as far as palatability. The toxicity of the old strains will affect pregnant animals. Not something for smaller mammals, it can be useful in cattle operations if managed. Don't get me wrong, I personally despise it. But it has a place. Let's face it, alfalfa is a great forage, but it can cause some serious problems..... grazing it especially if damp/wet... can cause bloat and kill cattle in hours.

I've been amazed at how the sheep are eating up the fescue, after pretty much ignoring it all summer and fall. Figured it must have been something to do with the first frosts. They're mowing it right down. I figure I have about another month's worth of stockpiled fescue.

 

[farmerjan]

Glad to hear your sheep have learned to eat it once it was frosted and the starches converted to sugars. That is the biggest saving grace to fescue. They will not eat it in the growing season if they can at all avoid it due to the palatability factor.

 

[Cotton*wood]

Glad to hear your sheep have learned to eat it once it was frosted and the starches converted to sugars. That is the biggest saving grace to fescue. They will not eat it in the growing season if they can at all avoid it due to the palatability factor.

It's actually quite amazing to see what they eat and don't eat. All kinds of things that folks (ie, the internet) says sheep aren't supposed to like, they adore, like black snakeroot and hemp dogbane. And when they like the brome and when the fescue (really only now in November). I have to trust that as log as there's plenty of forage, and variety, that they know what they're doing...... (I sure hope so.)

 

[Baymule]

I planted non endophyte fescue on purpose as an early spring grass. My sheep like it. It dies when Texas heat hits it.