The series of severe droughts between 2007 and 2012 resulted in substantial decreases in cattle numbers – and enterprises – in our region. Some of the impact of these droughts may have been offset if producers in the region had reliable, drought-resilient summer forages. For all of the benefits of tall fescue, it was never meant to provide our summer forage. After all, it is a coolseason grass....

Vigorous Summer Growth Peak growth of these grasses occurs during summer. They break dormancy in late March and early April and then grow rapidly from mid-May through midsummer. In late summer, growth slows until fall dormancy, usually in October. The maturity dates of the various species vary somewhat, but all follow this pattern. They remain dormant through winter. Five Key Species While ther...

Tall fescue and other non-native perennial cool-season grasses (such as orchardgrass, timothy, bromegrasses, and bluegrass) provide poor wildlife habitat. Native warm-season grasses (nwsg), especially big and little bluestem, indiangrass, and switchgrass, have been promoted to replace non-native cool-season grasses and enhance quality early succession habitat. Initially, problems associated wit...