Establishing A MaxQ Tall Fescue Pasture
Year 1 - Spring
- Prevent any toxic fungus fescue from
blooming.
- Either close graze/harvest winter forage
for hay, spray kill stubble; or, spray kill existing toxic
fungus fescue. Plow up if ground is uneven.
- Soil test. Apply fertilizer and
lime as recommended.
- Drill summer annual forage, i.e. Pennleaf
pearl millet or Summergrazer III Sorghum/Sudangrass
Year 1 - SUMMER
- Graze summer annual forage, or harvest
for hay.
- Prevent transfer of toxic fescue seeds in
manure to summer annual forage. Graze another forage for
three days between toxic fungus fescue and summer annual forage.
Year 1 - FALL
- Clip summer forage, or harvest for hay.
Spray kill stubble. Supply fertilizer as recommended.
- No-till drill MaxQ tall fescue seed. If planting in
tilled seedbed, cultipack before and after drilling seed.
- Planting Dates: September to November for
southern states. August to September or March to April in
midwest and northeast states.
- Seeding Rates: 20 lbs./acre in tilled
seed bed, 25 lbs./acre in no-till.
- Companion Species: Puna forage chicory
2-4lbs./acre, ladino clover at 2-3 lbs./acre.
- Soil temperature should be warmer than
55°F at planting time.
Year 1 - Winter
- Don't graze seedling pasture.
- Don't feed animals toxic fescue hay on paddock.
Managing A MaxQ Seedling Pasture
Year 2 - SPRING
- Apply fertilizer as recommended.
- Wait until pasture plants are 8" high and
firmly anchored. Graze for short periods, or make early
hay (cut at early boot stage). Maintain pasture height 2"
to 8".
- Option: No-till drill legume seed, white
clover 3 lbs./acre, red clover 5-8 lbs./acre in midwest and
northeast.
- Prevent transfer of toxic fescue seeds in
manure to new pasture. Graze another forage for three days
between toxic fungus fescue and new pasture.
Year 2 - SUMMER
- Rest MaxQ tall fescue seedling pasture stand, or graze
lightly for short periods.
Year 2 - Fall
- Stockpile pasture (save forage to 8"
height). Soil test. Apply fertilizer after rains
commence.
Year 2 - Winter
- Maintain pasture height 2" to 8" by
rotational or continuous grazing.
- Remove animals when ground is very wet.
- Don't feed toxic fescue hay on paddock.
Grazing Management of MaxQ Tall Fescue
Year 3 & Thereafter - Spring
- Apply fertilizer as recommended.
- Keep pasture leafy and short by heavy and
continuous grazing at 2" cover.
- Mow rank growth, seed heads, and old, low
quality forage.
- Prevent transfer of toxic fescue seeds in
manure to new pasture. Graze another forage for three days
between toxic fungus fescue and new pasture.
Year 3 & Thereafter Summer
- If grass growth slows due to dry weather,
remove animals until re-growth to 8".
Year 3 & Thereafter - Fall
- Stockpile pasture (save forage to 8"
height). Soil test. Apply fertilizer after rains
commence.
Year 3 & Thereafter - Winter
- Maintain pasture height 2" to 8" by
rotational for continuous grazing.
- Remove animals when ground is very wet.
- Don't feed toxic fescue hay on paddock.
OPTIONAL RENOVATION PHASE
Remove toxic fungus fescue. Plant winter
annual forage.
FALL
- Close graze, clip or harvest fescue
forage for hay.
- Spray kill toxic fungus fescue.
Plow up if ground needs leveling>
- Soil test. Apply fertilizer and
lime as recommended.
- Drill small grain annual forage, i.e.
Wintergrazer 70 rye.
WINTER
- Graze winter annual forage.
- Prevent contamination from toxic fescue
seeds.
- Don't feed animals toxic fungus fescue hay on
paddock.
TIPS - Things to DO and NOT TO DO With MaxQ Pastures
Things to Do For Your MaxQ Fescue Pasture
- Clip fescue pastures in spring to
eliminate seed production prior to renovation.
- Sow a summer of fall annual forage crop
after killing toxic fungus tall fescue, graze or save for hay
- Apply lime when recommended by soil test
- Spray kill volunteer tall fescue and
ryegrass plants before planting MaxQ
- Check "plant by" date on MaxQ label -
endophyte has a limited shelf life
- In a tillage operation prepare a well
cultivated, firm seed bed - cultipack ground before seeding MaxQ
- Rotational graze for highest forage
quality, yield and animal performance
- Mow rank growth, seed heads and old,
excess forage to maintain forage quality
- Allow fescue pasture a rest period each
year from June to August by rotational grazing - this rest
period is even more important during hot, dry summers
- Allow a withholding period of 3 days
between grazing toxic fungus fescue pastures and MaxQ pastures
to ensure that all toxic seed has emptied from rumen
- Apply fertilizer every year according to
soil test, amount of grazing, and forage conserved - keep your
pasture actively growing and healthy
- Renovate MaxQ pastures by sod seeding
with MaxQ seed only, if needed
Things NOT to Do
- Don't allow toxic fescue pasture to bloom
in the spring prior to planting MaxQ
- Don't sow MaxQ on existing toxic fungus
fescue pasture without first killing the existing plants
- Don't sow MaxQ seed immediately after
ryegrass or toxic fungus fescue pasture
- Don't store seed in a hot, humid place -
refrigerated storage is best
- Don't mix MaxQ seed with toxic fungus
fescue seeds
- Don't sow seed into a loose and poorly
prepared seed bed
- Don't plant too deep - 1/4" to 1/2" is
correct
- Don't plant into dry soil
- Don't plant MaxQ seed into cold soils -
55°F and higher temperatures are best
- Don't overgraze pasture in the first
year, or during drought stress
- Don't move grazing animals directly from
toxic fungus fescue to MaxQ pasture - wait 3 days, and graze on
non-toxic forage in between
- Don't feed out toxic fungus fescue hay to
animals on MaxQ pastures
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