Dryland pasture grass

[kiblercattle]

I am looking for a dryland pasture grass to plant around my irrigated pasture. It's needs to be heat tolerant and I would like to get a grazing in the spring and maybe one again in the fall. I have considered Bermuda but I don't like that it's late on leaving dormancy and a little afraid that it ll take over my or had grass. Any ideas would be great

 

[cedarcurve]

Drought type grasses are most commonly referred to as 'warm season'. 

Warm season grasses don't grow in the spring time, thus the 'warm' season part of their name. 

I suggest you plant fescue to graze in the spring and in the winter, and big bluestem/ indian grass to graze in the summer and fall.

 

[kiblercattle]

Is bluestem/ Indian grass nothing I have to worry about fescue toxicity with?

 

[cedarcurve]

Is bluestem/ Indian grass nothing I have to worry about fescue toxicity with?

It's called FESCUE toxicity for a reason, and it's not a serious concern in most circumstances- atleast in the midwest. Plant the friendly endopyte varietys, not the free ones if you are worried about it. 

I'm not sure where you are from, but read up here in the grazing Manuel:

http://www.il.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/grazing/Species.html

I recommend orchard, fescue, brome, white clover with yearly inter seed/ broadcast of red clover for cool season pastures.  and indian, big blue, alfalfa for warm season pastures...

ask JTM about warm season grasses.