Rural Issue

Fescue fix for “Huge problem” for cattle producers

Missouri is one of many states where toxic fescue has taken a bite out of the beef industry. University of Missouri Extension Forage Specialist Craig Roberts says farmers need to replace Kentucky-31, or K-31 tall fescue with non-toxic fescue, “It’s the most serious and devastating forage livestock disorder in the United States.”

The so-called “Fescue Belt” includes Missouri, southern Iowa, Northern Arkansas, and states East of there. Roberts tells Brownfield the solution – replacing toxic fescue with novel endophyte, non-toxic fescue, has been a long time in coming…

“The technology has been sitting on the shelf for at least 10 years. And, it wasn’t until we put together these multi-stakeholder company, government, university-driven workshops that we actually had a convincing delivery method. And, we have that now.”

AUDIO:  Interview with Craig Roberts (6:30 mp3):

One-day Fescue Replacement schools in Missouri – March 30 – April 2, 2015