On 19/9/06 5:43 PM, "Noel Pattinson" <noel@netspace.net.au> wrote:
> Thanks for the replies Leon & John,
> The reason I asked the question was that I had read that endophytes had been
> removed from the new varieties of fescue for cow health reasons and yet some
> southern NSW farmers are glyphosating large areas of Advance fescue because
> they have been told that its the endophyte that's making the plants
> unpalatable to the stock and if they can get the cows to eat it they go
> crazy busting though fences etc.)
Are they both talking about the same type of fescue. There are many
misunderstandings in life.
There has been a rush into safe-endophyte fescues and some are not as good
as others. The first one in New Zealand was not as good as latter ones.
Before buying any new variety, type or whatever, ask for half a dozen names
of users and when questioning them make sure that they are ordinary farmers,
not agents, reps, etc.
If because of being cautious you miss a few years it is better than sowing
paddocks with inferior ones which I did in 1986 with Matua Prairie grass
which doesnıt survive anywhere in the many countries Iıve checked. Despite
this the breeders still claim it is OK and sell it, giving New Zealand plan
breeders a bad name.
> I Guess that when they spray the fescue they will kill the problem ryegrass
> also and solve their problem anyway....unless they drill the same ryegrass
> back in !!!!
Spray with Grazon which kills everything except ryegrasses.
Mix it at half strength with Codacide which reduces drift, etc., and costs
nothing because of the Grazon or other sprays saved.
> Noel Pattinson
> Willung
> Gippsland
Best wishes,
Vaughan Jones
Hamilton
Waikato
New Zealand
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