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Irrigation
Irrigation is no longer seen as an insurance policy to protect against drought. It is an investment which must maximise not only the productivity of your property but also ensure that water as a precious resource is utilised as efficiently and responsibly as possible.
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Benefits
The reasons for irrigation are wide and varied, and differ for each situation. For example, irrigation;
- provides greater certainty with production than is possible with dryland farming
- provides options for diversification or intensification
- allows farmers to grow more pasture and increase livestock production
- allows farmers to maintain pasture quality over a critical dry period
- ensures crops are not affected by moisture stress at critical growing times
- provides greater opportunity to gain a pasture/crop response to fertiliser application |
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Stockwater
A properly designed stockwater scheme is becoming just as important in the management of the farm as a well-run business as irrigation. A good quality water supply and scheme helps to produce greater returns to the business.
To help achieve this, an accurate design ensures that the supply of water is able to keep up with the animals' requirements at peak drinking times throughout the year. Also, if the stockwater system has been designed accurately, it will lead to lower running costs through the delivery of high volumes at low pressure.
There is a lot more to designing an effective stock water system than meets the eye. It is important to ensure that the correct water volume and pressure is delivered to the trough at the right time. High pressure systems do not mean high flow systems. |
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We have a team of specialists that can assist you with designing an effective water system to meet your requirements. |
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Effluent Irrigation
Farm dairy effluent is a valuable fertiliser and if spread onto pasture correctly, it will increase pasture production and reduce solid fertiliser requirements. Other benefits include improvement in soil organic matter levels, soil structure and soil water holding capacity.
Good effluent disposal is about getting the required amount of effluent to the required area of soil and pasture with as little cost and as little effort as possible. To balance soil, air, water and nutrients, a number of things must be considered, such as the rate of application; the efficiency of application and the capital cost of setting up the effluent system.
A lower rate of application over a longer period of time helps maintain balance between the pasture and its soil environment. This enables the soil, pasture and soil microbes to better use the nutrients and moisture that is applied in the effluent. |
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Boosting Productivity
The availability and efficient use of the South Island's water resources is fundamental to farm production. CRT has a team of dedicated water specialists located throughout the South Island who specialise in the design and supply of stock water, effluent, irrigation and horticulture water systems.
From centre pivots to small block pivots, hard hose irrigators to pod irrigation systems right through to pumped and gravity stock water systems, solar pumps and moisture monitoring.
Every design is different, it is definitely not a case of one size fits all. We will design a system to suit your requirements. Our services range from design to supply and installation - right through to a turn key project. |
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"Our old system just wasn't working. Our irrigation effluent system is now really simple to operate, requires little training and allows us to utilise labour more efficiently."
John Dowdle - Dairy farmer (Southland).
"The new system puts on a lot more water from far fewer lines, and there's big time savings too. It's cost effective, and we have to say the results speak for themselves."
Tony Plunkett - High country farmer (North Otago). |