 |
| Dairy Effluent Management Design Services Effluent management on dairy farms was the focus of an intensive training program for Tasmanian consultants in March 2003. The training was organised by DPIW and funded by the DairyTas Regional Dairy Program.
The trained consultants are now equipped to give the best advice available on investigation, design and construction of dairy effluent management systems. Roger Wrigley, consultant and academic from the University of Melbourne, provided the following key messages:- Treatment, storage, pumping and land application options must be site specific, as no one system will suit all farms or all managers.
- Farmers need to demonstrate that they can plan the application of effluent. They need to ask if they can choose to irrigate, or do they have to irrigate?
- All systems should have a minimum of 2 days storage in case of a breakdown. More storage is required if soils are saturated for long periods.
- Use effluent as a resource. It has valuable nutrients that can replace fertilisers.
- Soil test effluent application areas regularly to monitor application rates and soil nutrient levels.
- The area needed for effluent application on Tasmanian farms is mostly controlled by the amount of potassium and salts in the effluent, not soil water requirements.
- Effluent application areas need to be at least 1 hectare per 20 cows milked to avoid nutrient toxicity in soils.
- Effluent application areas require fertiliser to be applied to balance grass nutrient requirements.
- Solids traps to catch gravel and coarse material are often necessary to minimise pump maintenance costs.
- Pond systems must be combined with managed dispersal to paddocks.
- No matter what effluent system is used it needs to be managed to utilise effluent nutrients effectively and to protect the environment.
Mr Wrigley also reminded the consultants that dairy farmers are required under the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 to have no discharge of dairy effluent to surface waters, either directly to streams, or as surface runoff from pastures, nor to create undue odour through its storage or application to pastures.
Two of the consultants who attended the professional training program are now able to assist dairy farmers to meet these requirements with a process that includes site investigation, soil analysis, water, nutrient and financial budgets plus the supply and installation of appropriate equipment. A training certificate is offered by TAFE on 6434 5811 and one staff member of equipment supplier Irrigation Tasmania at Somerset has also attended the training program.
Contact one of the consultants listed below or contact Ian Hubble, TIAR Dairy Centre on 1300 368 550.
Consultant | Company | Phone Number | | David Armstrong | Armstrong Agricultural Services, Launceston | 6334 1033 | | Robin Badcock | Badcock Irrigation Services, Exton | 6362 3003 |
DairyTas operate a dairy effluent project in conjunction with regional NRM groups for dairy farmers to upgrade their dairy farm effluent system and management of the effluent. Funding from the Federal Government allows for up to $5000 to be offered in addition to an equivalent amount provided by dairy farmers in works or in-kind with trained consultants used in the process. For further details contact Mark Smith, DairyTas, phone 6432 2233 or 0438 300 955.
| |
