On farm effluent management is very important, not only for compliance, but to reduce nutrient losses.  Maximise the use of key nutrients, improve production, reduce fertiliser requirements for a more efficient farm system.  Vantage NZ has a range of products and services to help improve you effluent farm system.

Precision agriculture can provide a world of valuable insights into your farming operation, but it can often also be tricky to know where to start. This package provides guidance for farmers on collecting and utilising on farm data. Using specialist software platforms allows detailed insights, leading to improved decision making and more efficient use of on farm resources. 

As farmers, you know that your soils area variable and where your ‘good bits’ are and your ‘poorer parts’, but do you know how variable they are? Using tools like S-maps, EM survey data, and google earth we can identify the sample sites required to develop an accurate water-holding capacity (WHC) assessment plan to determine just how much water they hold in different locations. Vantage NZ then use a Neutron Probe to accurately measure your soils water holding capacity at the predetermined sample sites.  Using this information, we complete a report identifying the water holding capacities over the farm and give insights and recommendations from a management perspective.

This comprehensive service ensures that your soil moisture sensors have the best chance to provide accurate data to you when it matters most. Over time, rain gauges fill with cobwebs, modems can be knocked by machinery, wires get chewed by stock, and pugging can form around the probe sensory area – all hindering the data quality you receive.

Having a site service requires one of our field technician’s visiting the site and doing everything possible to eliminate any hindrance. They will assess the condition of the probe, telemetry, rain gauge, and the soil conditions around the probe. Rain gauges will be calibrated, the quality of data online data will be examined, and an annual report of your soil moisture data and irrigation scheduling throughout the irrigation season will be created. Furthermore, any additional feedback that could create improvements will be given. 

Your irrigators are some of the most valuable pieces of equipment on your farm, be sure that you are applying the amount of water that you think you are!  Blocked sprinklers, poor pressure, leaking pipes, and worn fittings are all very common; which generate uneven irrigation leading to patchy growth and uneven yields in pasture and crop.

Vantage NZ will visit each irrigator to measure the application depth and water pressure on your irrigation system.  An independent report will be completed outlining the results.  The bucket test can be conducted on new and old irrigators, no matter what type of irrigation or effluent system you have we can test it.