Reducing fescue toxins in pastures

 Seed heads sometimes emerge by mid-Might in most of Missouri’s tall fescue pastures. They include 5 instances extra ergovaline than leaves and have little nutritive worth, says Roberts. In early summer season, seed heads can even turn into contaminated with ergot, a extremely poisonous fungus that grows on the seed. Ergot infects most grasses and small grains, not simply tall fescue.

 There are a number of methods to take away seed heads: 1. Baling earlier than seed heads kind; 2. Clipping seed heads and resetting paddocks; 3. Chemical spraying.

 Early hay manufacturing lets the plant rebound and produce new leaf progress. Clipping paddocks permits the grass to remain in a vegetative, leafy state longer. Clipping ends in grasses which can be greater in diet and digestibility.

 Use a management-intensive grazing system that encourages cows to rotate by means of small pasture paddocks. Don’t let cattle graze too brief.

 Fescue toxicosis prices Missouri’s beef business greater than $160 million every year in lowered weaning weights, conception charges, day by day achieve and milk manufacturing. Cattle run excessive inside physique temperatures and respiration charges and expertise lowered blood circulate, which may trigger lameness and lack of hooves within the winter.

 Research present that clipping seed heads will increase common day by day good points in stocker cattle and improves being pregnant charges and calf weaning weights.

 Producers needing to construct reserves of baled hay depleted by exhausting winter ought to harvest early and infrequently.

 Might is a greater hay month than June and much better than July.

 With the shortage of heat climate, hay developed slowly this spring. Kallenbach estimates yields fall 25 to 30 p.c behind regular.

 Lack of sunshine brought on thinner stands. The vegetation grew tall, however the grass didn’t thicken, placing out fewer tillers. “The undergrowth is simply not there,” Kallenbach says.

 Whereas yields could seem low on the primary cuttings, an early harvest will enable stronger second cuttings.

 Kallenbach advises chopping high-quality hay whereas it’s out there. High quality hay might be value extra as feed subsequent winter.

 Heat days within the third week of Might boosted forage yields. Within the first week of Might, rising-plate-meter readings confirmed solely 70 kilos of dry matter per day per acre.

 “With heat, and many moisture, we’re getting 140-pound dry-matter readings,” Kallenbach informed regional specialists in a weekly teleconference.

 Jim Jarman, extension agronomist, Fulton, Mo., studies fescue seed heads are rising. “It occurred shortly within the heat climate. The forage high quality will diminish by the minute.”

 Kallenbach says he’s seen seed heads on orchardgrass.

 “Hay must be harvested earlier than seeds set,” Kallenbach reminds producers. When seed heads emerge, the grass transfers proteins and sugars from leaves into the seeds. That lowers nutrient content material in hay harvested after seed heads emerge.

 By making a primary chopping early, extra grass will develop for the second chopping. “We are able to develop numerous hay between now and Memorial Day,” Kallenbach says. That regrowth will be minimize for hay, or grazed longer into the nice and cozy months of June and July.

 As soon as the climate will get scorching, cool-season grass progress slumps.

 “As soon as grass matures, and seed heads fill, it stops rising. But when hay is minimize earlier than seeds set, the grass retains including leaves.”

 When requested about making alfalfa hay in July, Kallenbach stated, “It received’t be dairy-quality hay, however will probably be higher than different hay made in July.”

 Craig Roberts, MU Extension specialist, stated this yr would possibly turn into a yr for ergot to seem in seed heads of pasture grasses.

 Ergot, a toxic fungus, replaces seeds within the grass heads.

 “Ergot causes lameness in grazing cattle. Stocker calves consuming ergot cease gaining,” Roberts says.

 Kallenbach encourages high-level administration of hay this yr.

“We’ll want the hay,” he provides. “Many acres have been taken out of forage and planted to crops. Excessive costs for commodities take away hay land.”