Dairy Sheep and Farm Development:
AgFirst Engineering is experienced in the conversion of land to Sheep and Goat Milking operations.
Our experience involves:
- Resource Consent Applications
- Council Rule Requirements
- Stock Housing
- Earthworks
- Farm Water Reticulation
- Effluent Treatment
Farm Water Reticulation
It is critical when designing a farm water reticulation system for a sheep milking operation that:
- Good quality water is utilised for both stock
water reticulation and dairy shed operation. - Stock have an unrestricted supply and access to good quality water to maximise milk production.
- Troughs are strategically located in paddocks to aid paddock grazing and provide unimpeded access to stock water.
- The pumping systems and reticulation networks are reliable, and are able to supply the required volumes of water to stock throughout the farm, without the risk of failure.
- Contingency plans must be implemented to alleviate the risk of system failure eg twin pumping systems, reticulation system valving to enable pipework isolation, sufficient water storage within the reticulation network maintenance contracts.
The supply of unrestricted good quality water is essential to maximise milk production. Water reticulation system design should always focus on peak summer consumption and incorporate contingency to manage the risk of system component breakdown.
Effluent Treatment
AgFirst Engineering has specialist knowledge when it comes to dairy sheep and dairy goat effluent. The volume and composition of sheep effluent and goat effluent is significantly different to dairy cow effluent, therefore it should not be treated as the same or similar.
It is critical when designing the effluent treatment system that consideration is given to:
- Nutrient concentrations.
- Volumes of wastewater discharged from the shed and yard.
- Wool and goat hair can prove troublesome for pumping and land irrigation equipment.
- Wastewater solids size and concentration have a major impact on the design and operation of stone traps, solid removal systems, solids bunkers and storage pond agitation systems.
