Thursday, 05 September 2024 11:55

Choosing the right system

Written by  Staff Reporters
When making the decision to install or upgrade a farm dairy effluent system it’s important to ask the right questions. When making the decision to install or upgrade a farm dairy effluent system it’s important to ask the right questions.

Choosing the right effluent system requires professional advice, considering future plans, and picking the right person for the job.

When making the decision to install or upgrade a farm dairy effluent system it’s important to ask the right questions, gather information and take professional advice.

You want the system to work well for many milking seasons to come so it’s important to consider the following:

  • Find the right person for the job
  • Establish your system requirements
  • Make sure future plans are taken into account.

Planning the right system is important.

One system is the travelling irrigator – the traditional design with a stormwater diversion in place at the yard. The effluent flows from the yard through a stone trap to a storage facility either via gravity feed or pump. It is then irrigated to land using a travelling irrigator. It’s best suited for farms with no landscape/ climate/ soil risk factors, freely drained soils, flat to gently sloping ground, moderate labour input and also for regular shaped paddocks.

Another system is the low-rate sprinkler with mechanical separation.

This system has a storm water diversion at the yard. The effluent then flows through a stone trap to a mechanical separator where the solids are removed. The liquid is then pumped to storage and irrigated to land via a small number of low-rate applicators that are moved frequently.

This is best suited for farms that require flexibility in application depth and rate, such as high-risk soils, high rainfall areas or sensitive catchments, especially suited to poorly drained or artificially drained soils, all slopes and works well in small or irregular paddocks.

The muck spreader system typically includes a storm water diversion then flow through a stone trap to a storage facility. A pump station is required if there is no gravity to storage. Effluent is stirred and sucked from storage into a muck spreader truck and sprayed to land.

This is best suited for smaller farms and lower cow numbers, or when applying effluent to remote areas, all types of soils and flat to sloping land.

Article by DairyNZ

More like this

Farmer-led group buys Novag

While the name and technology remain unchanged and new machines will continue to carry the Novag name, all the assets, intellectual property and staff of the French manufacturer have been acquired by a new organisation called Agriculture Nouvelle Génération.

Featured

Farmers urged not to be complacent about TB

New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.

Editorial: Making wool great again

OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.

National

Lame stories from a country vet

Everyone from experienced veterinarians and young professionals to the Wormwise programme and outstanding clinics have been recognised in this year’s…

Machinery & Products

Amazone extends hoe range

With many European manufacturers releasing mechanical weeding systems to counter the backlash around the use and possible banning of agrochemicals,…

Gong for NH dealers

New Holland dealers from around Australia and New Zealand came together last month for the Dealer of the Year Awards,…

A true Kiwi ingenuity

The King Cobra raingun continues to have a huge following in the New Zealand market and is also exported to…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Greenpeace a charity?

OPINION: Should Greenpeace be stripped of their charitable status? Farmers say yes.

Synlait's back

OPINION: After years of financial turmoil, Canterbury milk processor Synlait is now back in business.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter