Tall Fescue and Missouri Wildlife

Millions of acres of Missouri forest and prairie have been converted to tall fescue since 1960. Cattlemen use fescue because it is a hardy cool-season forage that tolerates a wide range of soil pH, droughty sites, intermittent fertilization and severe grazing practices. Fescue's aggressiveness and ease of establishment also make it attractive for stabilizing erosion prone areas, but these same attributes have drastic implications for Missouri's wildlife. Fescue quickly invades fields and pastures and can soon eliminate native plants and other tame grasses that wildlife prefer. Its bulky thatch when ungrazed also blocks movement of smaller animals and makes feeding difficult.Cool-season grasslands are an integral part of modern day agriculture and are here to stay. Although some cool-season grasses are used by wildlife, fescue is one of the least desirable. The purpose of this publication is to describe two primary management options for tall fescue that will benefit. The first is management of fescue fields to create a plant structure and species composition preferred by quail, rabbits and other wildlife requiring early succes-sional habitats. The second management option is elimination of fescue and replacement with other grasses and broadleaf plants that are beneficial to wildlife.

Improving Fescue for Wildlife Habitat

When other forage options are not available, fescue can be managed with nearby habitat types to provide low to moderate populations of quail and other wildlife. The challenge is to develop and maintain a mix of plant species and heights within the stand. Other habitats adjacent to fescue fields that improve conditions for wildlife include: native warm-season grasslands, ungrazed shrubby areas for winter protection, and grain crops and patches of seed producing annual weeds such as ragweed for high energy food. If these habitats occur within a 40-160 acre area, correctly managed fescue can be a usable component.

Management of fescue grassland must stress the establishment and maintenance of forb species such as ladino clover, Korean and Kobe lespedeza, crotons and ragweed within the stand. Unmanaged fescue develops a dense sod and deep litter that hinders movement of small animals and makes soil nutrients unavailable to other plants. Although species such as the northern harrier, Henslow's sparrow and certain small mammals are attracted to dense grass, most wildlife species prefer an open grass canopy and patches of bare ground (minimal litter).

Ideally, forb cover should comprise 30 to 50 percent of the foliage with about 50 percent of the forbs being legumes. Forbs provide seeds for birds and small mammals. Legumes provide seeds and forage and attract insects. Fescue height at the beginning of the winter dormant season should be 3 to 6 inches. This height is too short for winter cover but is necessary to permit free travel by young flightless birds the following spring. Canopy coverage can be 100 percent but stem density should be low enough to al-low some bare ground. Litter depth should be less than 2 inches.

Following are management options for maintaining fescue fields with preferred plant species composition and structure.

Grazing: Grazing is the most cost-effective management tool to keep fescue productive for wildlife. Two types of grazing can be used:

  1. heavy grazing in the spring to reduce fescue competition and stimulate forbs and legumes or to stimulate development of native warm-season grasses; and
  2. light grazing during spring or fall growing seasons to develop a clumpy structure for nesting cover and to improve animal mobility by creating travel lanes. Intensive grazing for short duration in early spring will stimulate forb production and reduce the dominance of fescue. Grazing should keep the grass height below 3 inch-es until after the peak growing period, May 1 to June 1. This intensive spring grazing will provide bare ground and reduce fescue competition to allow desirable summer le-gumes and forbs such as ragweed to develop.

These pastures can provide acceptable habitat if 10-30 percent of the pasture is in dense colonies of brush, scattered l-acre food plots are present and nearby areas are disced to produce annual weeds. Fescue fields grazed intensively in the spring should not be mowed during late summer or fall because mowing will eliminate desired cover and food plants.

The intent with light grazing in late fall or early spring is to have about 50 to 75 percent virtually ungrazed and 25 to 50 percent closely grazed. Fescue is a bunchgrass which can provide fair quality nesting structure if lightly grazed. Habitat may be enhanced if colonies of low growing shrubs such as coralberry and blackberry are allowed to develop to give the grass clumps more upright structure. Prairie-chicken flocks may be sustained by such pastures and bobwhite quail coveys will benefit as well. Light grazing in late summer and fall will create paths through a dense stand for small wildlife to have access to food and escape cover.

Grazing, burning or discing can be followed by over-seeding Korean lespedeza or other legumes during late winter to increase the mix of plant species. Fescue man-agement requires careful attention to achieve desired re-sults. Management activities that are postponed because of weather or lack of time will result in a serious decline in wildlife habitat quality.

Because fescue is extremely difficult to keep in a productive condition for wildlife, the long-term goal should be elimination of fescue and replacement with vegetation that is easier to manage and more productive for wildlife.

The best long-term solution to managing fescue for the betterment of wildlife and livestock is often to eliminate it and replace it with other grasses and/or legumes. Fescue is a tough competitor so conversion is not easy. Eradication practices include plowing, herbiciding, burning, row-cropping, grazing and mowing to ensure success. The sequence and timing of these practices is also critical.

Fescue Elimination

Tillable Soils

First Fall

First Crop Year

Third Year

Nontillable Soils

Initial Treatment

Secondary Treatment

Second Year

Secondary Treatment

Final Treatment

Plant desired grass or legume following second Roundup treatment

Successful conversion requires weakening the fescue before applying a final treatment. Initial treatments such as:

  1. heavy grazing to 1- or 2-inch stubble;
  2. plowing with-out discing in October;
  3. burning in late April; or
  4. mowing in early May when root reserves are depleted (bootstage of flowering) can be used to weaken fescue plants before a final treatment is applied. Final treatments always involve one or more herbicide applications before other vegetation can be planted.

Factors that determine appropriate initial treatment aresoil fertility and slope. Two initial treatments are listed below.

  1. Tillable fertile soils on slopes less than 5 percent. When soils are non-erosive and terrain is flat, the most ec-onomical initial treatment is plowing and grain cropping for two consecutive years. To increase effectiveness, over-graze fescue to prevent seed formation the year before planting the first crop. Then, plow the sod on the contour in October to expose roots to freezing temperatures.
    Wheat should be seeded as a cover crop until the following spring. If plowing was not done the previous fall, graze the field hard in-the spring before turning the sod. Plow and prepare the seedbed when the soil is dry. Include Atrazine the first year at the recommended label rate. Apply Atrazine the second year at the low end of the recommended rate.
    Desired vegetative cover should be established the third year (see MDC guides listed at the end). Slightly steeper slopes can be cropped in contour strips and reseeded to other vegetation before the remaining strips of fescue are cropped. Alternating strips can be cropped until the entire field is converted to other vegetation.
  2. Soils on slopes greater than 5 percent and-or low in fertility. Initial treatments on steep slopes and/or infertile soils include burning, grazing or mowing in mid-August. These techniques avoid exposing soils on steep slopes to excessive erosion. The final treatment is an application of Roundup to kill fescue.

Roundup Specifications

Roundup is the most effective herbicide, especially when applied to vigorously growing fescue, following an initial treatment. Fescue should be sprayed when leaves are at least 8-12 inches tall. Do not apply if rain is expected l within 6 hours.

Timing is important in fall herbicide application. If desirable warm-season grasses or forbs exist in the stand, herbicides should be applied after frost has caused desirable plants to become dormant. If few desirable plants exist in the stand, treatment should occur during the second week of October or during vigorous growth when fescue leaves are 8- 12 inches tall.

This Roundup formulation has been the most successful treatment for fescue conversion to native warm-season grasses. Recommendations for the most successful fall herbicide treatment include:

  1. Roundup herbicide for fall application
    • 1 quart/acre Roundup
    • 6 to 7 ounces of nonionic surfactant
    • 10 gallons/acre water
    • apply with flat fan nozzles at 30 to 40 p.s.i.
    • apply in fall when fescue is 8 to 12 inches tall and actively growing
    • repeat this Roundup application during April or May the following spring if seedling fescue exists
  2. Roundup herbicide for spring application
    • 2 quarts/acre Roundup
    • 6 to 7 ounces of nonionic surfactant
    • 10 gallons/acre water
    • apply with flat fan nozzles at 30 to 40 p.s.i.
    • apply in spring when most plants have reached the boot to early seedhead stage
    • wait 7 days before preparing a seedbed for planting
  3. After fescue has been eliminated, the following publications can be consulted to establish and manage other vegetation.
    • Native Grasses
    • Native Grasses for Wildlife
    • Forage, Hay and Pasture Seeding Guide (cool-season grasses only)
    • Establishing Native Warm-season Grasses
    • Native Warm-season Grasses for Missouri Stockmen