OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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Perennial, cool-season bunchgrass grown for pasture, hay, and silage. Also used for reducing oil erosion, recycling nutrients from manure and biosolids, and for turf, with good wear characteristics. Adapted to a wide range of climatic and soil conditions. Tolerates high temperatures and is drought tolerant due to its extensive root system. Grows best on deep, moist soils that are heavy to medium in texture and high in organic matter. Provides good winter growth in mild winter zones. It is important in forage-livestock systems and forms the forage base for beef cow-calf production in the east-central and southeastern United States.
Habit: Erect bunchgrass
Temperature: Survivable in 4 to 35 °C. Ideal range is 20°C to 25°C.
Precipitation: Minimum of 425-525 mm, with an ideal range of 635-1000 mm.
pH: 4.5-9.0
Soil drainage: ED-PD
Salinity: Moderately tolerant, 3-6 dS/M
Climate suitability characteristics in the following table are based on field experiments and forage agronomist experience. Soil factor data are based on values provided in Chapter 3 of the NRCS Range and Pasture Handbook.
| July Max Temp (°C) | Jan Min Temp (°C) | Annual Precipitation (mm) | Soil pH | Drainage Class | Salinity (dS/m) | |
| Well-suited | 31 | -12 | 625 | 5.4-8.0 | SPD-WD | 6 |
| Moderately-suited | 33 | -15 | 525 | 4.8-8.9 | PD-ED | 9.9 |
| Marginally-suited | 35 | -18 | 425 | 4.1-9.3 | VPD-ED | 13.15 |
Performs best in temperature, humid climates. Very well suited as a stockpile forage. High yields (6-7 tons dm/a) is achievable with high level of management and under ideal climatic conditions.
The first tall fescue cultivar developed was “Alta” in 1918. “Kentucky-31” was discovered soon after in 1931 and became widely used. As of 2005, there are over 500 tall fescue variations with more than 130 of those suitable as a forage type. Tall fescue cultivars are grouped according to three maturity categories: early, intermediate, and late. Intended use and climatic conditions should be considered when choosing which tall fescue variety to seed.
Forage quality depends mostly on maturity stage at harvest and fertility. For early vegetative stage, CP can exceed 22% crude protein (CP) and 73% total digestible nutrients (TDN). Quality decreases to 16.4% CP and 60% TDN at mid-bloom stage.
Tall fescue can be infected with the endophytic fungus Neotyphodium coenophialum. This endophyte produces an ergot alkaloid (ergovaline) that results in a complex of symptoms that includes poor weight gain and milk production, rough hair coat, excess salivation, and elevated body temperature. For forage, always use a non-endophyte (E-) cultivar. For established stands with endophyte, interseeding with a legume will dilute the toxin.
