TAKING ACTION
Plan how you’re going to create and maintain good effluent pond and spreading systems. Effective effluent management can reduce methane by reducing solids in effluent ponds with regular stirring. You can also spread effluent in ways that avoid leaching, ponding or runoff into nearby waterways.
Contact an industry expert such as an effluent consultant, or speak to your Sustainable Dairying Advisor. Look through your farm’s effluent records in your Farm Environment Plan to see if there are any improvements to be made. Some improvements might even save you time and money as well as leading to improved crops and forage, resulting in more productive cows.
Ensure your farm team knows the importance of successfully managing effluent ponds and spreading systems, and train them in the right actions to take to achieve this.
Focus on emptying the pond before summer which is when methane production is at its highest. Separation of solids or stirring the pond regularly can minimise anaerobic conditions which in turn can reduce methane production.
Keep up to date with new effluent emmissions technologies and news. DairyNZ provides free up-to-date information and tools to help manage effluent.
Tap into your farm effluent’s value by spreading it on your farm’s paddocks as nutrients. Use industry tools like DairyNZ’s Effluent Spreading Calculator, to easily calculate nutrient loadings and application rates.
Following best practices for effluent application (timing, rate and depth) will maximise pasture response to nutrients and minimise effluent nutrients lost to the environment.
Separated solids should be spread at a low rate on paddocks or stored on concrete until conditions are suitable.
TOOLS AND INFORMATION
BENEFITS
Using effective effluent spreading systems can maximise crop and forage growth. Regular spreading of effluent nutrients can support the growth of high-quality crops and forages which can, in turn, help to improve and increase your cows’ milk production.
You may also identify opportunities where you can use on-farm effluent in ways that can improve productivity. Talk to your farm advisor for ideas.
Effluent can add value on-farm, with an average dairy cow producing $25 worth of nutrients annually. For a 400-cow herd, this totals about $10,000. Proper effluent management prevents costly blockages, enhances crop quality, and boosts milk yield and quality, increasing profitability. Additionally, using effluent effectively can reduce your farm’s carbon footprint, appealing to environmentally conscious customers. Consult your farm advisor for more ideas on maximizing effluent benefits.
Methane from manure management accounts for up to 4% of agricultural emissions on New Zealand dairy farms, with 80% from anaerobic effluent storage ponds. Improving effluent pond management can help reduce these emissions. Effective practices include stirring to reduce solids and spreading effluent to avoid leaching, ponding, or runoff. Additionally, higher productivity per cow lowers emissions intensity by spreading emissions across more milk produced.
Contact an industry expert such as an effluent consultant, or speak to your Sustainable Dairying Advisor.
Or call our Farmer Support Team on 0800 65 65 68 for more options.