One of the greatest expenses for beef and sheep producers is winter feed costs. Brood animal profitability is dependent on low feed costs. One way to lower these costs is to field stockpile forages for fall and winter grazing.
Tall fescue is the most desirable grass to stockpile for late fall and winter grazing.
During the fall, this grass produces higher yields of stockpiled forage of superior quality compared to most other temperate grasses. Forage quality losses from leaf deterioration after frost are lower for tall fescue compared to most other forages. In southern Ohio, tall fescue will stay green and may even grow a little during warm winter days. Tall fescue forms a strong sod that is tolerant of trampling damage, which is common on wet pasture soils during the winter. Winter grazing has minimal influence on yield or quality of this grass the following season.