A true Kiwi ingenuity
The King Cobra raingun continues to have a huge following in the New Zealand market and is also exported to numerous overseas markets.
When the budget excludes buying new capital items, everyone should look after existing equipment.
A farm dairy effluent system is a large financial investment; with regular maintenance it will last longer. And there is another benefit – the pumps and irrigators will operate correctly, applying effluent at correct depths and rates to maximise fertiliser benefit and value.
What do you need to look for or be aware of? Start with the pump: the first thing is noise. Never ignore a noisy pump; a pump making more noise than normal needs to be looked at.
If the pump is allowed to continue running, the repairs can be hefty, but possibly not so if you get it looked at pronto. Pump vibration also signals inspection.
Set up a schedule for regular greasing or replacing the oil. We have these schedules set up for other farm vehicles and personal vehicles but sometimes the effluent pump is not included.
When you grease a pump, look for anything that may need attention, eg holes or wear in the castings and hoses, worn impellers, broken fittings and couplings and signs of leaks. If you have a pressure gauge fitted, check the pump pressure; a decrease in pump pressure may signal a worn impeller.
On the irrigator check the nozzles for wear and splits. If your irrigator is not spreading the effluent as far as normal it may just need a new set of nozzles. Then check the wheel bearings and tyre pressure. A flat tyre may cause the irrigator to travel slower or even stall. Any leaks require attention as the seals may need replacing. Effluent is very abrasive so if a leak is ignored it may cause the bearings and risers to be worn as well. Ensure the wire rope is not frayed and replace it if it is. Inspect the irrigator every time it is set up for a new run and look for any areas of wear; check the drag hose for kinks. Follow the correct instructions for the drag hose layout. A 3m loop makes it easier for the irrigator to pull the drag hose and it will be less likely to over-apply the effluent or break the wire rope.
Regularly clean the stone trap; if it fills with sludge/stones it will no longer work. A stone trap is designed to allow the liquid to enter at one point and exit at another. In doing this there is time for the solids to drop to the bottom. If the stone trap is not emptied the flow of liquid goes over the top of the solids and nothing drops to the bottom. This means the pump must now move all the abrasive material. Remember that the removed solids must always be put on a sealed sloped surface to ensure liquid drains to the stone trap or pond.
Always watch for leaks in the main line, hydrants and drag hoses.
Make a current list of all the contact details for the suppliers and service agents for all equipment. Keep a second copy visible and handy in the cowshed.
Effluent systems are only effective when well managed and maintained. A regular maintenance programme will assess potential problems and enable them to be rectified before things go wrong.
• Cathryn Reid is a director of Numedic Ltd. Tel. 0800 686 334
