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Dairy farms lead way on managing effluent
A storage pond
Equipment for separating solids from liquids - pipework and pumps were purchased
Excavation work
Handling 156 megalitres of dairy farm effluent is a pungent chore but when it's being managed in a way to avoid nutrient runoff into Tasmania's waterways it smells sweet to the environment.
The DairyTas Effluent Management Project has helped some 42 dairy farms across the state's Northern and North West regions upgrade dairy sheds to avoid runoff and maximise reuse of the nutrients.
Funding
Work has been supported with about $134,000 from the Australian Government and contributions from the State Government through the NRM North regional group.
Activities
The project led to $650,000 worth of farm upgrades in its first year - for every $5500 received, on average a farmer spent $16,000.
The funds flowed largely towards expanding storage ponds and systems where there was insufficient capacity - the herd had expanded but the effluent infrastructure hadn't followed suit.
Other funds helped purchase equipment for separating solids from liquids, solids trenches and dams, irrigation equipment, pipework, excavation work and pumps.
DairyTas Executive Officer Mark Smith said in the project's second year, a further 41 dairy farms would benefit and new best practice guidelines would be delivered. DairyTas secured National Landcare Program funding for the southern region to cover six more dairy farms in 2006.
Achievements
"By early 2007 we'll have covered upgrades across nearly 90 dairy farms - close to 20 per cent of the industry - and dairy effluent from about 25,000 cows will be better managed through on ground work valued at $1.5 million," Mark said.
Theo Van Brecht and Cheryl McCartie from Ringarooma, who are participating in the project, had several benefits for their farm.
"We had an increase in overflow and runoff incidents, which we were most concerned about due to our proximity to a watercourse. And it limited the use of paddocks traditionally used for grazing young stock," they said.
"We now have a system that requires less labour with some gains in productivity envisaged; a three pond system with the effluent incorporated into an irrigation scheme; and a threefold increase in the area effluent is going back onto.
"The Dairy Effluent Project gave us the impetus to change the old one and allowed us to consider the best practice for our farm with the expertise provided through the project. It's also made us more aware of our water use at the dairy and how we can mange it better."
More information
- Mark Smith, DairyTas Executive Officer: 0438 300 955 or tapg@eburnie.com.au
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