University of Kentucky to Host Tall Fescue Renovation Workshop March 9

Producers from in and around Kentucky will have an opportunity to learn how to better renovate tall fescue pastures at the upcoming Tall Fescue Renovation Workshop.
Producers from in and around Kentucky will have an opportunity to learn how to better renovate tall fescue pastures at the upcoming Tall Fescue Renovation Workshop.

The University of Kentucky (UK) has announced that it will host a workshop with the Alliance for Grassland Renewal on March 9 to educate producers on how to renovate their tall fescue pastures.

The goal is to help people revitalize their older pastures with a novel endophyte variety.

“Now, with a growing number of novel or friendly endophyte tall fescue varieties on the market, there is a solution to fescue toxicity,” said Ray Smith, forage extension specialist in the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “UK’s own novel endophyte variety, Lacefield MaxQ II, will be available in the fall 2017.”

The workshop will be held at UK’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the UK Spindletop Research Farm. Discussions will be led by UK specialists, as well as professionals from the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Forage-Animal Production Research Unit, University of Missouri, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Missouri Forage and Grassland Council’s Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative.

“This will be one of the most practical workshops available to Kentucky livestock producers in 2017,” Smith continued.

Some of the topics that will be addressed at the workshop include fescue toxicosis, seed and endophyte testing, long-term pasture management, and first year management.

Those who register before March 6 can attend the workshop for $60.00. Late registration is $75.00. The cost of attending includes lunch, refreshments, and access to all of the discussions. More information can be found at www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage.