Green Rain Beats No Rain at Walton

Effluent irrigation proves its worth in the dry

Lance Hawkins decided to bite the bullet with a full upgrade of his effluent system for the start of the 2007 season, even before he knew the payout was destined to be as high as it is.

He made the decision to install a land based system despite having the option to renew the consent to discharge from his traditional two pond system into a swamp area.                           
                   
“There was no guarantee we would have got consent, and it cost a fair bit to do too,” he says. He opted for a Hi-Tech Enviro system that has a DODA pump and stirrer on his old pond, coupled with a Spitfire irrigator, covering 36ha in total.

                                                                                                                
                        

Lance had convinced himself that a return equal to the interest cost would make the project worthwhile. As fertiliser costs rocket upwards by the month effluent is now valued at around $14 a cow. His ready reckoning has proved to be accurate, and that return looks likely to increase.

By the time his property started to dry up like the rest of the Waikato in the region’s worst drought ever, Lance found another reason to be thankful for installing a quality land based effluent system.

Lance’s 190ha milking platform carries 600 cows west of Walton. Sitting up in the hills it is more exposed than many to the drying winds from all directions so typical of the summer. What he had not anticipated was the value the irrigation effect the system would have on the land area the effluent was applied to.

“Those paddocks that are getting the effluent irrigation have at least some cover, it is not a huge amount but it helps push the grazing time on those paddocks out to 24 hours rather than 12, and it all counts this year,” he says.

Hi-Tech installed a system that aimed to maximise spread area via the Spitfire which can encompass a 50m-plus spray width on a still day. The machine offered a greater level of variable control over spray volume and a wider field of spray, meaning shifting it only half as often.

The superior spray throw and control means the machine is well suited to getting effluent along sidlings on still days without impacting on waterways.

Lance also opted to install a 10hp DODA stirrer to run alongside the 20hp pump as an agitator. The thorough agitation action ensures no crusting on the pond surface and an even distribution of solids at the pump head.

He also appreciates a good level of on-going support and service by Hi-Tech for a system which is easily operated by sharemilker Scott Williamson and his staff.

Scott and Lance’s advice to anyone considering a land based system is to stick with their ponds rather than installing all new storage nearer the dairy.

“The pond provides such a good storage should you have a breakdown or a long period of wet weather, ours would be up to five weeks.”