The latest independently audited Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord is evidence of their commitment to this issue.
The report showed they are making inroads – 26,197 kilometres in fact. That is the length of fencing farmers have installed to exclude 97 per cent of dairy cows from waterways.
In addition, more than 99 per cent of 44,386 regular stock crossing points now have bridges or culverts and 83 per cent of farmers are now getting nitrogen information.
The national levels of significant non-compliance for dairy effluent systems have also dropped to their lowest point at 5.2 per cent. Now that’s a lot to celebrate.
But the report also highlights improving water quality is a marathon, not a sprint, and there are still things to improve on, and each region has its own challenges.
In Waikato, the report found that 10 per cent of farms were significantly non-compliant around effluent management.
The main reasons for non-compliance were effluent over application and runoff, effluent overflow from sumps/ponds, no containment of effluent in underpass and unauthorised discharge from effluent ponds (breach of consent conditions).
I do not want to make excuses, but we have had a challenging season and the weather may have played a part, forcing farmers to apply effluent in less than ideal conditions.
It is a reminder about always having a contingency plan and the importance of following best practice. Storage has been an issue for some given the incredibly wet season which caused flooding in some parts.
Now is the time that deferred plans for greater storage need to be implemented on remaining farms. Focus on keeping effluent ponds as low as possible so that in the event of bad weather or a breakdown maximum storage is available.
Always check you have enough storage before every milking and irrigate when conditions are right, not when the pond is full.
The average dairy cow produces about $25 worth of nutrients annually as farm dairy effluent (FDE). For a 400 cow dairy herd, this represents about $10,000 of nutrients annually.
If these FDE nutrients are used effectively then this significantly reduces the fertiliser bill. DairyNZ has an effluent spreading calculator to help farmers calculate the right application rate for their farm.
Make sure emergency numbers are close by should the effluent system require repair. Keep accurate application records. Note when and where it was applied so another staff member can see what’s been done and prevent doubling-up.
Managing effluent in underpasses can be challenging. Some farmers have found sumps or catch pits which can be emptied a good solution. Although there’s no one size fits all approach, solutions should be tailored to suit your farm.
If you’re after advice, talk to your dairy company sustainable dairy advisor, or your local DairyNZ sustainability advisor.
We’ve got to keep striving to raise the bar and continue to build on our successes.
Wade Bell is DairyNZ’s South Waikato regional leader.
Source: Stuff
Link: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/93026962/dairy-farmers-put-in-26197-kilometres-of-fencing-to-keep-cows-out-of-water