This is a campaign that every state should look at and jump on board and do something to support what they are trying to do since it matters to us all. It should not be one state fighting it should be a combined effort from all game and fish departments along with wildlife organizations and hunters. So I am passing along this very important information from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

Allen “horntagger” Morris
 

In cattle, the fungus causes excessive body temperatures, elevated respiratory rates, loss of appetite, body weight loss, lowered fertility rates and abortion of fetuses. Dairy cows often show sharp declines in milk production. Horses are affected also with more aborted fetuses, foaling problems, weak foals and reduced or no milk production. The CES estimates that this endopytic toxin cost American beef producers up to $1 billion a year in lost profits.

"It's very important for private landowners who desire viable wildlife populations on their property to know the effects of planting fescue," Long noted. "Many species of wildlife would directly suffer these same negative effects if they were confined to the pasturelands as are livestock. However, since they are free ranging, they simply avoid the fungus infected fescue pastures, but nevertheless, this results in loss of farm wildlife habitat on these acres. You may have deer and turkey travel through tall-fescue pastures, but they rarely find food sources available they can utilize, since the aggressiveness of the fescue usually results in solid stands of the plant," Long concluded.

The grass is a sod-forming turf with thick matted growth that also limits movement of young bobwhite quail, turkey and cottontail rabbits, provides no nesting habitat for wild turkey or quail, and is extremely poor habitat for many declining grassland species of songbirds. "Bottom line, fungus infected tall-fescue pastures offer little food, cover or nesting habitat to a broad range of farm wildlife," he said.

"Tall fescue has been planted in an estimated 4 million acres of the 5.4 million acres of pasture scattered over the state and for all practical purposes is of no value to farm wildlife. With the widespread establishment of tall fescue pastures, a great loss of wildlife habitat for deer, turkey, quail, cottontails and grassland songbirds has occurred. 

Many landowners now recognize this problem and are interested in eliminating tall-fescue on some or all of their acreage. However, many landowners continue to plant tall-fescue, not knowing the detrimental effects it will have to wildlife. (There is an endophyte-free variety of tall fescue available for planting but it is less viable and hardy, and still provides very limited habitat for wildlife.)

We want to educate all landowners regarding this fact because there are other planting options to providing livestock forage and wildlife habitat on their farms," Long explained.

Please help spread the word to landowners "Don't Do Fescue!" by requesting a bumper sticker to place on your vehicle. Especially if they have an interest in managing for wildlife on their farm. For more information contact David Long at 877-972-5438 or dlong@agfc.state.ar.us.

Ok guys and gals, one of the first things some of you ranchers may say is “Give me a good alternative that is just as good as fescue.” At this time I do not have an answer for you.

But there are some good alternatives like orchard grass, clover, lespedeza mixed into one field. Bottom line, it costs money to eradicate fescue and plant something suitable for wildlife and livestock. 

However, you ranchers or farmers that really have a great interest in wildlife and habitat will take the extra step for them. One of the main problems is how to eradicate fescue so they can plant wildlife friendly grasses and forbs. 

You have to start somewhere! Education or Knowledge is power. With this power we can start to eradicate fescue, but keep this in mind we will never eradicate all fescue pastures, and never in any way thought that was possible. 

However, we do want landowners to know the problems fescue causes wildlife and other options for planting and let them decide for themselves. It's all about options and landowner objectives. What do you want to manage your land for? Livestock, Wildlife, or both? All game and fish departments owe them the best recommendations for wildlife they can provide. And we owe them the truth about fescue as it impacts farm wildlife population. 

Some of the methods that I am aware of on eradicating fescue are.

1.First contact your local Missouri Department of Conservation – Private Land Conservationist for your area before you start. They have tons of information to help you out.

2.Also a herbicide I have heard some about is PLATEAU. This herbiced converts fields and other open areas to great habitat. Contols tall fescue, Johnsongrass, Japanese Stiltgrass, Foxtail and many other invasive plants. Encourages the establishment and restoration of native grasses like bluestem and Indian grass and legumes like partridge pea and lespedeza. Easily applied in a water based solution using a hand sprayer, ATV mounted sprayer or tractor sprayer. Depending on specific field conditions, one to three packets will treat one acre. For more info on this contact National Wild Turkey Federation at 1-800-THE-NWTF or www.nwtf.org

3.Also in the fall I have been told to bush hog the area then apply herbiced in the fall. Then in the early spring when the fescue seed that has not been killed off has sprouted and is about 4” tall a prescribe burn is then recommend. This will allow the warm season grass to come up later in the spring. But herbicide still may have to be used before to kill off all the fescue. Before any burning you should contact local conservation department.

Good luck and hope to see you in the woods. horntagger