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To find a successor to the hugely popular and widely regarded kale variety Sovereign is no easy task, however, SovGold kale continues to show its merits in the paddock providing an increase in both production and quality. SovGold has proven when it comes to yield, ME and utilisation against Sovereign, change is an easy decision.

In the past, dairy farmer Michael Loe had been an avid user of Sovereign kale on his 1300 cow dairy farm based near Rakaia. When it was recently released, Michael decided to adopt early and has been highly impressed with SovGold’s results.

His support block carries all 1300 dairy cows along with 360 R2 heifers during the winter months. Within his cropping rotation are 30 ha of fodder beet and 22 ha of SovGold. Both crops complement each other in paddock rotations but the kale has an important role heading into late August.

SovGold is one of the latest flowering varieties on the market and will hold through August to carry the R2 stock; during this period it will retain leaf density without compromising quality.

From an early December planting, Michael’s SovGold crops yielded between 16 and 17 tonnes of drymatter per ha. It was highly palatable and had very high utilisation. “I’d had such good performance out of Sovereign in the past that I wasn’t sure if a change was necessary. However, I have noticed the increase in leaf yield with SovGold and more importantly how stock fully utilise the stem,” said Michael.

Lower stem quality within kale varieties has always hindered total utilisation of the grown crop, however, SovGold produces thinner stems when sown at recommended rates and produces a high leaf to stem ratio. Throughout multiple trials, SovGold showed a 7% increase in total yield over Sovereign with the leaf yield alone showing an increase of 9%.

Another standout and unique characteristic of SovGold is the increase in ME in the two lower quartiles of the stem. Trial results have shown that there is an increase in ME of 1 unit in SovGold compared to Sovereign in the lower half of the stem. This along with the leaf quality creates a plant that maximises utilisation in a grazing environment.

“When shifting break fences I look behind me and the paddock is bare, there is no wastage,” Michael commented, “and when I cut into a stem I notice the consistency in quality from top to bottom.”

Following SovGold, Michael has been sowing Monty feed barley to carry through for whole crop cereal silage. This is a good environmental option as the crop is quick to establish with a deep root system, which acts as a tool to ensure that excess nitrogen held in the soil post-kale is utilised – reducing nitrate losses.

Michael feels that whilst Sovereign achieved high yield and quality through the years, SovGold is a step-up and agronomically shows advantages over the old.

For more information on SovGold kale or winter feed options, contact your local Ruralco On-Farm Account Manager.