Client

Matt Barr

Location

Whakatane

Category

1000m3 Vortex Bladder

Matt 410 Cow Farm

410 Cow Farm - Awakeri/Whakatane

What Matt Wanted
Matt was keen to add to his dairy effluent storage for his 410 cow farm near Awakeri/Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty. Matt had storage in the form of half a weeping wall but wanted more to avoid irrigating when conditions were not suitable, and to meet the requirements of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
Matt was also keen to install the right pump to be able to irrigate over his current and future irrigation blocks, and to utilise the latest irrigation equipment.

What Matt Thinks About His New Dairy Effluent System
“We have put in a system that works for us. We needed a full proof system that minimises potential issues. Now we have  green water going from the bladder to wash the feedpad, and to the  irrigator so it is not going to block. Its real easy to keep an eye on the whole system now”.

What Matt Thinks About the Guys at Precise DE
“Certainly knowledgeable. I liked the fact they didn’t cover anything up, and didn’t push their own agenda. They worked with us to achieve what we wanted”.

Solution/Key Changes
Matt had installed a 2 bay weeping wall to deal with the solids from his feedpad and to provide some storage for the dairy effluent from the farm dairy. Previous to this Matt  pumped everything to pasture from a large concrete tank.
We completed a Dairy Effluent Storage Calculator that indicated Matt needed a further 600m3 of storage at the 90% probability point (DESC), but Matt opted for a 1000m3 Precise DE Vortex Dairy Effluent Bladder which provided him with enough storage based on the past 30 years.
A new irrigation pump (25m3 per hour Precise DE Bellin PC pump) to get consistent volumes and pressures over the entire irrigation area, and to get the best performance from the irrigation equipment. It would also be used to pump to the flood wash tank for the feedpad.
A travelling raingun to deliver lower application rates with a longer jet length to better meet the soils infiltration rates, and to half the number of times the irrigator needs to be shifted

Farm Details

  • Herd Size: 410
  • Annual Rainfall: 1337mm
  • Soil Risk: A combination of high and low risk soils. Sandy loam over sand, and peat over sandy loam
  • Existing Farm Infrastructure: Originally a large concrete tank with a pump, irrigation line, and travelling irrigator, before a 2 bay weeping wall was installed

Key Products Supplied & Recommended

  • 1000m3 Precise DE Vortex Bladder that is filled from the weeping wall with a small submersible pump
  • Changing the pump to a shorebased 25m3 per hour Bellin PC pump
  • A travelling raingun

Key Services Supplied

  • Advice and design
  • Completion of a Dairy Effluent Storage Calculator
  • Soil infiltration rate tests
  • Onsite supervision of the installation of the storage bladder
  • Supply of the pump through Aquaheat who also installed the pump and provided all the electrical services needed
  • Post installation visits

Dairy effluent from the feedpad and dairy shed goes to the 2 bay weeping wall and then to the 1000m3 Vortex Bladder.

A 1000m3 Vortex Bladder with a 25m3/100 Bellin PC Pump that draws from the centre of the bladder before pumping to pasture. This farm also has a weeping wall and feedpad - Whakatane

1000m3 Vortex Bladder designed with a central drainhole for extracting any sediment from the bladder.

The 25m3/100 Italian Bellin PC pump installed, complete with a high low pressure/flow switch and stainless inlet and outlet pipes. The pump has an exterior grade epoxy coating.

The central drainhole  in the Vortex  Bladder feeds the 25m3/100 metre head Bellin PC Pump. Note the 2 discharge pipes at the pump, one to the irrigator and the other to the flood wash tank.

The green water flood wash tank for the feed pad in action. This is filled  from the Vortex Bladder.