Maximising forage versatility
Cleancrop™ Sarge kale offers a versatile, high-quality forage for various farm systems. Both James Maher, Station Manager for Erewhon Station, and Mark and Courtney Harris of Wagonwheel Dairy, incorporate Sarge kale into their cropping systems but with slightly different approaches.
Erewhon Station is a 3,600 ha sheep and beef farm, located just off the Taihape-Napier Road in Manawatu. Winters are tough at the station which is 800 to 1,100 metres above sea level.
“The soil type is volcanic-free draining, near or at optimum fertility. The limiting factor is the altitude and cold winters, creating a feed deficit we need to fill,” says James.
Feed gaps in summer and winter are integrated into the regrassing programme. Turnips and forage rape are used in summer to get the lambs to weight by March. Kale and swedes carry stock through the tough winters into early spring. With weeds difficult to control, PGG Wrightson Technical Field Representative Emma Bibby, with support from PGG Wrightson Seeds' Duncan Phyn, recommended CleancropTM Sarge kale as a solution for weed control and to improve the performance of James' mixed-aged ewes. Other on-farm benefits of Sarge (a shorter type of kale) are soft stems aiding palatability and increased crop utilisation. James sees good utilisation right down the stem.
Mark and Courtney Harris’ Wagonwheel Dairy is a 150 ha (effective) dairy farm north of Huntly in the Waikato. They have experienced various conditions, from drought to wet seasons. PGG Wrightson Technical Field Represenative Sharne Purchase and PGG Wrightson Seeds' Sam Wiltshire provide technical agronomy support for the farm.
Brassicas play an important role in Wagonwheel's pasture renewal programme. With weeds and water conservation a major consideration over summer and autumn, Sam recommended Pallaton Raphno® brassica and CleancropTM turnip, to supplement the home-grown diet of the milking cows, followed by kale to extend the feeding period into March and April. After switching from a medium-type kale, Mark and Courtney have noticed the difference with the shorter Sarge and its high ratio of large paddle-shaped leaves relative to the stem which snap when you pull them out and break them, indicating their softness.
“Sarge gives the system a lot of versatility as it does not have a strict shelf life like other brassica options. It can sit in the paddock for longer, and if you do not need to use it, we can push the feed out until we do,” shares Courtney.
Having the technical support and advice from PGG Wrightson is allowing James and Courtney to make changes to their farm system and improve productivity.
To discuss options to maximise forage versatility, contact your local PGG Wrightson Technical Field Representative today.