SP439A Tall Fescue - Endophyte-Infected or Endophyte-Free

Tall fescue is the most important forage crop in Tennessee. It is grown on approximately 3.5 million acres in the state, and is used as the base diet for nearly all beef cattle in Tennessee. An adapted strain of this grass was discovered growing on a farm in Kentucky in 1931. The cultivar ÒKentucky- 31Ó was released in the early 1940s, and was widely accepted by farmers throughout the Southeast because of its wide range of adaptation, ease of establishment and persistence. It gained a reputation as a low palatability forage that resulted in poor animal gains and various toxicosis symptoms, even though chemical analysis indicated that tall fescue was as good as any other cool-season grass. It was noted that dry matter intake was less in animals grazing tall fescue compared to those grazing other grasses. Early explanations for the poor palatability and intake were the coarse leaves and stems, and sharp edges on leaves.