Tall fescue can persist under limited fertility conditions and, when compared with smooth brome, tolerates wet soils, grazing abuse, claypan soils, and summer drought better. Fescue can be used not only for forage but also for waterways, pond dams, farm lanes, and lawns. Fescue will grow when average temperatures are as low as 34 F but does better with temperatures above 45 F. Summer growth is retarded by high temperatures and low moisture, with little growth occurring above 85 F. Animals readily graze fescue during April, May, and June and again in the fall. With consideration for both the grass and animals, grazing should be avoided during late June, July, and August. Tall fescue grazed during the summer results in low animal performance and possible damage to the grass.
Tall fescue is the best adapted cool-season grass in Kansas for winter use.
Thus, fescue can provide most of the spring, fall, and winter feed for a beef-cow herd. Tall fescue should be used in conjunction with warm-season forage crops such as native grasses, bermudagrass, or summer annuals to provide summer forage. This text was extracted from the publication, C-729.