Dr. Fribourg s primary responsibility in research is the ecology of forage crops in management systems. A primary emphasis is placed on cooperative, multidisciplinary field research aimed at resolving the tall fescue toxicosis problem.
Tall fescue is a major grass in the eastern United States.
Tennessee is in the center of its range of adaptation and use and has about 3.5 million acres of tall fescue pastures. Tall fescue toxicosis has been associated with the wild type of the endophytic fungus Neotyphodium coenophialum . Cattle consuming endophyte infected tall fescue have reduced growth, lowered conception, reduced milk production, and have intolerance to heat, when compared to performance by similar animals grazing endophyte free tall fescue. The interdisciplinary team now involves over 16 faculty persons representing seven UT departments in both applied and basic aspects of the problem. Dr. Fribourg has been conducting jointly with colleagues a number of grazing experiments.