Fail-safe system helps protect the whenua

Managing dairy shed effluent is a major focus for PKW, particularly when it comes to applying it back onto the land to replenish nutrients and encourage grass growth.

“There can be a perception that effluent is an issue to deal with, but with the right systems and processes in-place, it can be a useful management tool when used correctly to recycle nutrients within the farm system, while at the same time encouraging pasture growth. To achieve this, dairy shed effluent needs to be applied and managed in a controlled and considered way, following best practice guidelines,” says Shane Miles, General Manager Ahuwhenua – Farms. “There are a lot of factors to be taken into consideration such as the amount of effluent being applied, the positioning of irrigators, the risk of run-off, and potential adjacent waterway vulnerability etc.

“Once all that is established, actually applying the effluent can create all sorts of management challenges such as hoses becoming detached or blocked, irrigators not moving at the right speed or not at all, which can lead to over-application of effluent in one place, or any manner of other issues. Historically, the management of effluent irrigators has been largely reliant on the attentiveness of those on-farm, making it very time-consuming for our farmers.”

But a new effluent management system has been rolled out across all PKW’s dairy farms to help support decisionmaking and provide an application fail-safe tool to ensure all protocols are adhered to, regardless of if the farmer is watching or not.

The solar-powered technology involved means that control of the entire system is put directly into the farmer’s hands, wherever he is, via his phone.

Above image: Irrigation unit utilised on PKW farms. Below: Recycled nutrients are pumped from storage ponds via hoses to irrigators, to encourage pasture growth.

“The farmer can set where and when the effluent is applied – as well as defining exclusion zones such as drainage ditches and waterways, or areas that don’t need irrigating,” explains Shane. “The system also sends reports such as volumes applied at what rate, along with GPS referenced ‘proof of placement’ as to where the irrigator has travelled in the paddock.”

“But one of the biggest benefits of having the system is its ability to send alerts if anything goes wrong – and to shut off the pump immediately.”

“Previously, if the irrigator got stuck, or slowed its rate of travel significantly, or the drag hose became kinked or blocked, or even disconnected, there was a risk that more effluent would be applied than required before the farmer carried out the next series of checks.”

“Now we know that if there is any problem at all, the effluent is shut-off and an alert is sent, meaning that the risk of unwanted effluent discharge is greatly reduced.”

While effluent management is a key part of compliance legislation, this was not the driver behind the implementation.

“Installation of this system goes beyond compliance for us,” says Shane. “It is another example of PKW Farms’ commitment to the outcomes of the Kaitiakitanga Strategy and aligning the business to the kaupapa it lays down.”