Irrigating in a dry season
Lessons from previous dry seasons have highlighted the need to plan and make early decisions and then monitor and adjust as you go along.
Key things to consider during a dry season include: Purchasing water Permanent or temporary water is available via trade if you are concerned about your allocation for the season.
Check out the current market prices to see if that is a cost-effective option for your farm.
Some of the factors that need to be considered when buying water to grow more feed include the price of equivalent quality feed supplements (very high this year), your water use efficiency (ML/ha/irrigation), pasture consumption/ha, and the herd’s requirements for nutrients (e.g. protein, fibre or energy). Use other sources of water If you are lucky enough to have access to ground water, fully use your ground water allocation where possible.
Effluent ponds can also be a source of water that may supplement your irrigation allocation but remember that water quality is important.
Be cautious if bore water is salty, and don’t forget to shandy bore water or effluent with your channel or river water if you can. Maintain irrigation intervals Subjecting your plants to water stress by stretching irrigation intervals will usually result in increased water use per irrigation and much lower pasture production per megalitre. Your clover and ryegrass growth will suffer while lower quality pasture species will flourish. Be prepared to dry off paddocks More pasture can be grown and consumed from a small quality area that is regularly irrigated than a larger area that is not regularly irrigated.
The total area you can irrigate with your remaining water will be calculated in your irrigation budget. Keeping pasture green and ready waiting for rain is tempting in Gippsland, but it may be a risky gamble this season. Dry off Paddocks to be laser graded in the current season Poor performing paddocks in need of renovation Other poor performing paddocks e.g. saline areas, lacking fertility, poor infrastructure
Paddocks that take a long time to water (high water use or high labour) Paddocks that do not drain to a reuse system Manage your reuse system Make sure the water level is as low as possible at the start and end of each irrigation. This will leave storage capacity available in the reuse system to collect the maximum amount of run off from your next irrigation or any rain that may fall. Short water bays If an area doesn’t drain to a reuse system, consider short watering your bays to minimise runoff. Nitrogen Use appropriate rates of nitrogen on your irrigated pastures to grow the most pasture for water used. Grazing management Grazing management is as critical as always. Keep a good feed wedge in front of the cows to maximise pasture growth for every ML applied. Remember if it is not milker quality feed – cut for silage so you have fodder on hand for later in the season.
Make the most of the water you have, to grow the maximum amount of grass.