Regal - opportunity for higher feed value
Kale is a staple winter forage crop on Nick and Stephanie Scott's 550ha mainly rolling property near Waikouaiti. Running 3000 ewes and hogget replacements, the property also trades in beef cattle as well as winter grazing dairy cows.
Around 30ha of flat land on the farm was set aside for growing kale to graze 660 Jersey cows during winter 2010. Of this, about 20ha was Regal, which was grown for the first time. Nick said he decided to try Regal following good results on other farms in the area. "Regal was an opportunity to grow a higher feed value kale. It's more leafy and the cows have done well on it." While the cows were not weighed, they had definitely put on condition, he said.
"We have had quite a favourable winter. So it has kept growing well." Nick said he planned to grow Regal kale again next year.
