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DAIRY FARM effluent is an important resource for nutrients and is here to stay, says Rotorua farmer Trevor Phipps.
Speaking at the Effluent Expo in Hamilton today, Phipps says most dairy farms milk twice a day and will end up with "cow shit" on a daily basis.
"Cow shit is here to stay. We should all treat this as an important resource and we must do it right," he told a seminar on "Making the most of your effluent irrigation".
He told about 40 farmers that it was important for farmers to get it right when irrigating effluent as all eyes were on farmers.
Phipps farms 25km south of Rotorua and a state highway runs along his farm. He says this is a motivation to do things correctly.
"I have tourists, motorists and cyclists travelling up and down the highway daily. Some of them stop to take photos of this green slurry being spread on paddocks.
"Therefore I make sure I get it right."
Another motivation to get effluent irrigation right is to ensure he doesn't fall foul of the regional council. Phipps farm comes under the jurisdiction of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
He says the council has a legal right to randomly inspect his farm and effluent irrigation practices.
Phipps, who milks 295 cows, says he has written instructions for farm staff when it comes to effluent irrigation.
He also keeps a daily record of paddocks irrigated and the time the irrigator spends on each paddock.
Having spent more than 23 years in the New Zealand dairy industry as a dairy farmer, technical adviser, and dairy farm consultant, including seven years working directly with farmers to improve herd performance and profitability, I have learned that outstanding fertility results rarely happen by chance.
Good effluent management on a dairy farm combines a well-designed system with proper processes to ensure the right amount of effluent gets applied to pasture at the right time.
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