Latest News

WORDS AND IMAGES PROVIDED BY AGRICOM

As winter feed planning becomes increasingly critical for dairy operations, SovGold kale offers a reliable and high-performing option that combines yield, quality, and grazing flexibility. Bred in New Zealand and trialled extensively across the country, SovGold has become a standout choice for farmers seeking consistent performance through the colder months.

SovGold is the latest flowering kale on the market, a trait that significantly extends its grazing window. This delay in flowering allows the crops to maintain nutritional value and palatability well into late winter and early spring. This is ideal for winter kale on dairy platforms and specifically for late calving cows coming back to platforms from grazing SovGold on runoffs. This allows late calvers to remain off grass pastures for several additional weeks in late winter and early spring, while still being managed on the platform. The later flowering date also suits high country winter feed programmes, where early spring growth is typically slow. Additionally, delayed flowering helps reduce the risk of animal health issues often associated with flowering brassicas, providing greater confidence during key grazing periods.

Historically, increasing yield in forage crops has often come at the expense of quality. SovGold breaks this trend. Across 24 trials, it has demonstrated a 7% yield advantage over its predecessor, with leaf yield contributing a high proportion of this advantage. SovGold’s consistently high leaf-to-stem ratio ensures excellent intake and utilisation.

SovGold fits well into a range of cropping plans. While traditional sowing occurs from late November to early December, it also performs well when sown in January or early February, making it a viable alternative to summer sown rape. In these later sowings, SovGold retains leaf and stem quality longer, with yields of 8-10 t DM/ha, making it ideal for young stock or sheep systems.

SovGold has also been highly successful as an October sown summer crop, where it can be a flexible feed that is utilised the same way a summer rape is utilised. If summer rains occur and the summer crops are not required, it can be transferred into a more traditional late autumn winter feed programme.

 Following SovGold with a catch crop such as barley, oats, or triticale is a proven strategy to reduce nitrogen losses and improve soil health. These cereals establish quickly and have deep root systems that capture residual nitrogen, making them both an environmentally responsible and productive follow up option.

SovGold kale delivers a powerful combination of consistent yield, excellent quality, and extended grazing flexibility. Its late flowering trait sets it apart, allowing farmers to maintain feed quality deeper into winter and early spring. With proven performance and adaptability, SovGold is a smart choice for farmers looking to optimise their winter feed strategy.