Over watering wastes water, energy and soluble nutrients – all of which you are paying for. Pasture production can be improved by balancing soil temperatures and irrigation application. Over-watering on heavier soils can lead to pugging and anaerobic conditions which causes root tip die back and loss of production.
Avoid Over-Watering
Do not let the soil moisture get above the soil’s field capacity.
Optimise Pasture Production
Pasture production can be improved by balancing soil temperatures and irrigation application.
Assist with difficult Irrigation Management Decisions
Often in dry seasons, irrigation systems (or water supply) can not keep up with demand and the water available has to be utilised efficiently.
Without accurate soil moisture data it is almost impossible to determine the current situation and what the best course of action may be.
For example, if a poor producing pasture is due for replacement it may be best to let this paddock dry off and focus the irrigation on better producing paddocks. You may decide to reduce your rotation from 11 days to 9 by removing the paddock earmarked for renewal (as it is already producing poorly) thus allowing proper irrigation of the remaining area with no loss of production.
Environmental Stewardship
Installing a soil moisture monitoring system will help you prove your environmental management systems are robust. Aquaflex is a vital part of any Farm Environmental Plan.
