Water is a precious commodity, and with the current dry seasonal conditions, it’s a critical farm asset to manage and monitor.
Agriculture Victoria Livestock Industry Development Officer Christopher Blore said it is critical for all farm businesses to have the right quality of stock, domestic and commercial water, where you need it, when you need it, and in the quantity you need.
‘There are some simple tools that you can use to monitor water supplies in dams and tanks across your farm.
‘Tools can be as simple as a couple of floats and a bit of bar to give you an indication of the water left in your tank or a DAMDEEP tool.
‘A video of how to make a DAMDEEP measuring tool can be found on the Agriculture Victoria website.
‘More advanced options, such as ultrasonic or hydrostatic sensors to measure the depth of tanks or dams or flow meters to measure water flow rates from pumps and tanks, can be set up to send automatic alerts, such as when a tank or dam is low.
‘If you are looking to compare options, visit agtechfinder.com, as this website has a large range of available AgTech solutions for water monitoring. Just search the term ‘water’ to browse a range of options,’ he said.
‘Chat with your local rural store about options and the ongoing support available at a local level.’
For further information on calculating livestock water needs and how much water you have on the farm, refer to the Stock Water Resources page on the Feeding Livestock website or contact Chris at christopher.blore@agriculture.vic.gov.au
As part of the Victorian Government’s $13.53 million drought support package, eligible southwest farmers can apply for on-farm drought infrastructure grants of up to $5,000.
Further information, including how to apply, can be found at ruralfinance.com.au.
For more information about support during drought and dry seasonal conditions, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons or call 136 186.
