Farming in Otapuri Gorge, Southland, Kyle Thorburn relies on SovGold kale as a key part of his winter feeding programme. Milking 430 cows and running 300 Angus beef cows, Kyle grows around 20 hectares of SovGold annually, typically after a swede crop. Sown in late November and grazed from May, it provides reliable, high-quality feed through winter, helping set the farm up for spring production.

For Kyle, SovGold consistently delivers strong yields, good stem size and palatability, ensuring stock utilise the crop well. Its fit within the rotation also provides a valuable opportunity for weed control through an effective spray programme, making SovGold a dependable and productive option year after year.

In his first year growing the SovGold Plantain Mix, Hamish Knowles has seen a massive improvement in lamb performance on his Spar Bush, Southland farm. The 65-hectare operation has benefited from the mix's flexibility, fast growth and ability to carry more stock compared to previous years on grass alone.

Sown at 4.5kg/ha of SovGold and 3kg/ha of Ecotain plantain, the crop was ready for grazing just 70 days after sowing. A five-hectare paddock supports 700 lambs for a 10-day grazing period before being rested and grazed again a month later. For Hamish, the biggest benefit has been the impact on lamb growth. As he puts it, "the weight coming off these lambs is incredible", creating huge value through heavier finishing weights while helping finish up to 80 lambs per hectare.

For Tom Goble, drought tolerance is one of the key reasons SovGold continues to earn its place on his St Bathans, Otago farm. Running 7,000 Romdale ewes, hoggets, 500 Angus beef cows and 500 red hinds in a challenging environment, Tom needs a reliable winter feed crop that can perform after long, dry summers.

Having grown SovGold for the past eight years, Tom values its reliability and consistency year after year. The crop provides quality feed from June through to September, helping carry stock through winter when feed demand is high. For his red hinds in particular, access to high-quality winter feed is essential, and SovGold has proven itself to be a dependable, drought-tolerant option that performs even in tough conditions.