82 | nzdairy Developing new services on demand Design consultant Matthew Rice, from Hamilton-based EIDNZ works with a small team of innovators, delivering bespoke effluent and irrigation solutions to farmers seeking sound independent advice to meet their individual farm system needs. Though the bones of the company stretch back to 1998, through successive years of developing new services in response to growing demand, Effluent & Irrigation Design traces it roots back to 2002, when increasingly farmers were seeking independent advice able to offer a range of tailor-made systems, free from pushing a particular brand. “The market was being saturated with many effluent system options and there was a need for an independent consultancy service, capable of analysing just exactly what each farm’s unique situation needed, to meet environmental compliances and to future-proof it,” says Matthew. And while there is plenty of ongoing research and new technology arising, Matthew says the good old basic rules around how best to deal with managing effluent and irrigation stand the test of time. “As far as technology goes we find ourselves going back to simple systems, easy to manage ongoing. Farmers want to know the system will do what it says in a no-fuss way and that ongoing maintenance is a manageable cost for them.” Working very much in tune with the yearly cycle of farm activity works well Matthew says, giving time for planning ahead of new systems to be constructed on-farm, during the off-season while also dealing with maintenance and upgrades. “That’s how it works for us – we have busy and quieter times and it works well.” For any serious effluent system upgrade the summer time is the installation time with farms working toward having plant ready by June 1st. During summer EIDNZ can usually handle numerous projects, balanced with routine maintenance to existing systems. Bladder systems for storing effluent have also evolved and gained traction, meeting demand for a storage option that doesn’t require digging into Sue Russell DAIRY SERVICES » Effluent Irrigation ground. Here, EIDNZ works with Precise DE, another Waikato dairy service business, who import above-ground bladders using a Vortex system that allows effluent to stay in suspension as it moves towards a central drainage cavity. “We like these bladders as they drain out really efficiently, minimising solids buildup. We can enter and exit the bladder at the centre. The two owners of Precise DE are really experienced and we work quite closely around the design of the bladder.” Matthew says in the Waikato, where currently Council tend to take a broad-brush approach to effluent and irrigation compliances, there’s a good chance the rules will become more prescriptive and some dairy farmers will need to adapt their technologies accordingly. “Here its a permitted activity but if that changes to be consented then there’s the liklihood of more site specific focus. We already take a tailored approach to what a farm actually needs to operate effectively with its management practices, however some farms may require some checks and balances, especially as circumstances could have changed on site.” A large-scale irrigation project at Reperoa has been occupying the team at EIDNZ recently. The project involves 700 solid set irrigation sprinklers spread across approx 100ha (60ha of this is new irrigation area with the balance converting existing, labour intensive, lateral irrigation). “We’ve been busy installing Water Insights ‘solid set’ technology bringing the advantage of autonomous sprinkler control. We have also provided another customer with an efficient solution for their wastewater application on a smaller scale with manual control.” Matthew says these systems offer a number of benefits, being fully customised to each site. “Sprinklers are scalable right up to the ‘rain guns’ that can be used for effluent on fence lines.” There is also no shifting required, removing labour costs, with the variable rate irrigation delivering consistently and accurately. “As permanent irrigation assets they also enhance land values and returns. They also offer lower maintenance costs compared to pivots and there’s no need to remove shelterbelts and fencing.” Asked why EIDNZ has established so successfully, Matthew says its about having the ability to be independent and not linked to brand that gives each farmer the reassurance that the advice and services EIDNZ provides is the best solution, weighing up a number of factors, for their farming management practices. MANAGE EFFLUENT BETTER. • Preferred by installers. • Flexible when dragging. • Easy shifting for large pods. • Strong enough to prevent kinking. • Easy fit to hydrants, camlocks & compression fittings. •Low application rate avoids leaching. Precise DE (Dairy Effluent) supports EID through the supplying of dairy effluent products that come from Europe as well as NZ made. These include Vortex Storage Bladders, Bellin pumps, SCM stirrers, irrigation equipment and specialised dairy effluent parts/products. Precisely the right flexible bladder tank solution for you. www.precisede.co.nz Mixers & Pumps for Effluent 43 Phillips Street, Phillipstown Christchurch, New Zealand www.liquidprocess.co.nz Effluent Irrigation Pumps Slurry Distribution Partnered with Hamilton-based EIDNZ work with a small team of innovators, delivering bespoke effluent and irrigation solutions to farmers.
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