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Emptying Effluent Ponds Before Winter

Autumn is an ideal and essential time to empty your effluent pond(s).

By Department of Primary Industries - 2nd May 2005 - Back to News

You can take advantage of the water and nutrients it contains, especially if you are running low on irrigation water or to provide a boost for a crop or pasture paddock in rain-fed systems.

Importantly, you are also emptying the pond(s) so that they will not overflow during winter or between irrigation seasons. It’s all about minimising the risk of effluent running off the farm to drains and waterways. This is a key focus of the Environment Protection Authority effluent system audits as they make their way around Gippsland dairy farms.

Which is the best way to empty your ponds? This depends on what equipment you have and whether the contents are liquid, slurry or sludge.

If you empty the pond regularly, it will be mostly liquid and will be suitable for pumping or gravity flow to a farm channel or pumping to an effluent irrigator.

If you think there may be a bit of solids settled on the bottom, it may help to turn the pump on and recirculate the effluent back into the pond to stir it up. Then pump to the farm channel, ideally with irrigation water running to mix with the effluent.

If the pond contents are a thicker slurry-like consistency, you may still be able to use the above approach. But it is even more important to ensure that your irrigation water is running so that any solids remain in suspension and don’t stay in the farm channel.

Alternatively a slurry cart can be used to pump out the slurry and spread it evenly on the paddocks. There are contractors with this equipment in most areas.

If the pond contents (often first pond) are fairly solid it may be possible to use a slurry cart. If it is too thick, some liquid effluent or irrigation water may need to be mixed in to allow pumping.

Alternatively, very thick sludge may need to be removed from the pond with an excavator and left to drain near the pond before spreading with a muck spreader. Contractors have this equipment as well. If using an excavator, have an area where you can put the sludge to drain, so that it drains back into the pond and not into a drain or waterway.

Whatever method you use to empty your ponds, ensure that effluent does not enter drains or waterways or leave the farm. This means, when flood irrigating effluent or shandied effluent, that runoff must be prevented by short watering.

Wherever possible have a re-cycle dam for the area you apply effluent to as a backup if accidents occur. If you spray irrigate effluent, avoid spraying directly into waterways or allowing runoff to reach them. Also, avoid applying effluent when storms are expected in the next few days.

ARE YOUR ANIONIC SALTS WORKING?

Jo Crosby, DPI Warrnambool.

Milk fever, caused by low levels of calcium in the bloodstream of the cow, is a problem you can live without at calving time.

Anionic salts are now commonly fed to the springers as a preventative, but the results are not always as good as expected. The easiest way of telling whether your anionic salt regime is working is to test the urine pH of a number of cows. pH testing strips are available from laboratory supply firms, or ask your vet.

Anionic salts may help to slightly acidify the blood of the cow, which results in calcium being released from the bones and into the bloodstream. It is necessary to feed the salts for about two weeks prior to calving to achieve this effect.

The pH of the blood is reflected in the pH of the urine. A urine pH of 6 – 6.5 must be achieved if the anionic salts are to have an effect on calcium levels in the blood. A pH level lower than this may endanger the health of the cow, however a pH higher than 6.5 means the anionic salts are ineffective.

The effect of anionic salts is much reduced if the cows are fed a diet which contains a lot of potassium or sodium. Consequently springers should not be fed pastures, hay and silage from paddocks with high potassium levels, and bicarb should not be fed as it is high in sodium. If the springers are receiving enough grain to put them at risk of acidosis then the rumen modifier Eskalin should be used. Molasses often has a high potassium level so it should also be avoided in springer diets.

For further information on transition cow management contact your local DPI Dairy Extension Officer.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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