Kale is an excellent producer of high-quality feed for dairy, it’s relatively short grazing height makes it ideal for grazing or fattening of lambs. It’s suitable for late Autumn grazing so helps to fill forage deficits.
The Maris Kestrel variety has an excellent leaf-to-stem ration giving it the potential to provide a quality forage option.
As well as a low-cost option for finishing lambs, Kale is also a good buffer feed for cattle during dry summers. The superb crude protein combined with high yields make this crop economical to grow.
Why has Kale become so popular in recent years?
In short, growing kale can put more money in your pocket at the end of the year. Kale provides an excellent solution for out-wintering and is one the highest yielding brassica forage crops.
The high yield of a good variety is critical to the cost-effectiveness of this crop. The higher the yield, the cheaper it.
Which varieties should you grow?
Maris Kestrel
Maris Kestrel is established as the leading UK variety suited to all livestock. Extremely digestible and a long utilisation period makes this a very popular farmer choice.
Bombardier
High dry matter Autumn Winter kale with club root tolerance and high quality feed value. Improved stem palatability and bred especially for UK conditions. Ideal for dairy, beef and sheep. Bombardier’s palatability makes it an ideal variety to move on to from grass grazing.
Caledonian
Caledonian is a very high yielding kale. It is clubroot tolerant, which now enables growers to continually sow kale on clubroot infected sites. Caledonian’s huge yield makes it ideal for utilisation by dairy and beef cattle.
Grüner Angelita
A very high yielding variety with good Winter hardiness and excellent feeding quality with high fresh yields. Since its introduction to the UK it has become a popular choice with UK farmers. It’s high yields makes it ideal for utilisation by dairy, beef cattle and Winter feed for sheep.
Keeper
Keeper is very winter hardy and exhibits good lodging resistance. It is a medium/short type, ideal for finishing lambs and providing high quality Winter keep. It has low SMCO levels (anti-nutritional chemical).
Sowing Information
| Sowing Dates: | April – July |
|---|---|
| Sowing Rate: | |
| Precision Drill | 2kg/ha (750gm/acre) Grade J Seed |
| Direct Drill: | 3-5kg/ha (1-2kg/acre) Natural seed |
| Broadcast: | 82D (Digestibility) |
| Metabolisable Energy | 8kg/ha (3kg/acre) Natural seed |
Need more information?
If you need more information about varieties and costs, call Jonathan Coombe today on Freephone 0800 174999
