Cultivation

Forage use of Sheep's Fescue

Festuca ovina L.

Sheep's fescue is used primarily as a component of pasture grass mixtures on poor and dry soils. The crop is characterized by high resistance to trampling and the ability to regrow after repeated grazing.

In the reference 17 varieties crop Sheep's fescue, where this is mentioned in the description.

Sheep's fescue is a low-growing, densely tufted grass suitable for early grazing due to its early start of the growing season. Under intensive grazing conditions, the plant can withstand up to 3–4 defoliations per season, making it a valuable component of long-term pastures in forest and forest-steppe zones.

Despite its good palatability for all types of livestock, the crop has limited economic significance as a hay plant due to low green mass yields, ranging from 40–80 c/ha. However, it effectively fills a niche on sandy and arid soils where the productivity of other cereal grasses is minimal.

An important biological feature regarding the use of the species is the dependence of regrowth on the developmental stage: if grazed after flowering, sheep's fescue may not form autumn regrowth. The nutritional value of the crop is comparable to that of grasses such as meadow fescue and timothy.

General information about the subject — on the page Forage purpose.

Sources6

Varieties of Sheep's fescue mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.