Giant Gruner kale
Nick Russell, Pleasant Point, South Canterbury
Kale plays a significant role as a winter feed crop at Riverholme Pastures, a large-scale drystock dairy grazing property near Pleasant Point.
Riverholme grazes 900 rising one-year heifers and 900 rising two-year heifers, as well as wintering almost 4000 dairy cows from dairy properties associated with Alvin Reid and family.
Nick Russell, who manages the 650ha irrigated property, says Kestrel kale is grown specifically for the R1 heifers "as it is more palatable for the younger stock. It is a more leafy product." Dairy cows are grazed on the giant kale Gruner.
About 140ha is grown in brassicas each year, with the aim to have everything drilled by December 3, with Kestrel yielding around12,000kg/ha.
Kestrel is fed to heifers from the end of May, with brassicas making up 60-70% of the diet, supplemented with baleage.
"They certainly put condition on. For young stock it is important to get them to optimum weights to get in-calf. As the next income earner, they are an important animal," says Nick.
