Sampling For The Tall Fescue Endophyte In Pasture Or Hay Stands

PRINCETON, KENTUCKY

   Tall fescue growing in Kentucky can be colonized by the tall fescue endophyte, a fungus which causes disorders in livestock that feed on the infected grass. The first step to minimizing the impact of endophyte-infected grass on herd productivity is to identify infected fields.

   The optimum collection times in Kentucky appear to be spring (late April to early June) and fall (October through November). This publication outlines the various aspects of sampling and submitting tall fescue specimens to the UK Regulatory Services Seed Lab for analysis.

   Sampling for the Tall Fescue Endophyte in Pasture or Hay Stands (PPA-30) is available online.

   For additional publications on forage diseases, visit the UK Plant Pathology Extension Publications webpage. ∆