Jeanette Bryham owns a dairy farm in Waipu, Northland. Alongside sharemilker Neil Troost, they milk 300 cows right through Winter. So there’s a fair amount of effluent to take care of…
Currently having discharge consent, Jeanette and Neil would discharge over winter through a 4 pond system and wetland. Over summer months they’d do their best to utilise effluent nutrients from the storage ponds that collect effluent from the milking shed and a feed pad. When possible, their neighbour would use his Nevada slurry tanker to empty the pond and spread.
Jeanette and Neil could see the value in applying effluent to land. They could also see that discharge consents were not to be relied on in the future.
Impressed by the neighbour’s Nevada slurry tanker, and from his recommendation, they gave Nevada a call to work out a plan.
As a contingency, one of the oxidation ponds was extended and converted into a second effluent storage pond.
With more effluent to spread, Jeanette and Neil thought it would be wise to invest in their own slurry tanker to spread when and where they wanted. Jeanette’s son, Gordon was more than happy to take on the job of driving it.
One of the reasons they chose to spread with a slurry tanker was the versatility. The tanker can suck thick slurry from any of the ponds and can also be used to clean out the feed pad and troughs. There are also no limitations to spreading all over the farm – including around odd-shaped paddocks.