By Blake Jackson
The University of Kentucky’s agricultural station in Princeton, now the Research and Education Center (UKREC), has championed forage crop improvements for livestock since its 1925 inception.
A century later, as part of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, and the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station, UKREC celebrates its enduring impact on farmer success.
“Forage crops are an integral part of Kentucky agriculture, underpinning the success of beef, small ruminant and equine farms,” said Chad Lee, director of the Grain and Forage Center of Excellence at UKREC.
“Forage research and recommendations from state extension specialists and county agents across the state have helped farmers evaluate and implement new grazing systems to optimize forage utilization, soil improvement and animal performance.”
Early UKREC trials, including those by superintendent Sam Lowry, focused on rotating legumes like clover and timothy with grains to boost yields and soil fertility.
Pasture experiments with animal scientists, beginning in 1929, demonstrated how improved pastures could dramatically increase steer weight gains, leading to the enhancement of hundreds of thousands of acres of poor grazing land.
A discovery came in 1931 when UK agronomist E.N. Fergus identified a resilient grass on a Menifee County farm. This tall fescue, later released as "Kentucky 31" in 1943, became a widely adopted cool-season grass due to its adaptability.
However, it caused fescue toxicosis in grazing livestock due to an endophyte. UKREC researchers, including Garry Lacefield, Monroe Rasnake, and Roy Burris, developed management strategies that are still vital today.
The quest for a non-toxic, hardy fescue led to the 2018 release of Lacefield Max Q II, a novel endophyte variety developed by UK plant breeder Tim Phillips, honoring Lacefield’s contributions.
UKREC also advanced alfalfa and red clover through improved management, the development of no-till drills (like the one acquired by John Deere), and educational initiatives such as the Kentucky Alfalfa Conference, launched in 1981. Current Extension forage specialist Chris Teutsch continues red clover research, exploring its fescue toxicosis-reversing properties.
Teutsch now leads the Master Grazer Program, continuing UKREC’s legacy of extension education. He emphasizes the ongoing need for research into climate adaptability and managing diverse pasture mixes in changing temperatures. “Although we tend to focus on major discoveries when talking about research, it is important to realize that those ‘big’ discoveries are a cumulative result of smaller projects that have added to the knowledge base over many years,” Teutsch noted.
Photo Credit: university-of-kentucky
Categories: Kentucky, Education