Down on the coast of Waverley, Alan Coburn is making significant strides in his operations across 180 effective hectares. With a 380 cow dairy farm, he runs a 70% split calf in Autumn and 30% in Spring with two other full-time staff.
Previously, Alan’s effluent management operated on a straight pump to paddock system with an irrigator that needed to be moved twice a day due to the lack of storage facility available. Whether the southerly was blowing or the rain was pouring down, Alan and his staff were out working to move the irrigator twice a day and checking on the pump to ensure it was working properly.
The biggest concern for him in modernising operations was how to place a pond and keep the embankment secure without issues of erosion over time. When Alan contacted Nevada, all those concerns were flipped into positive solutions.
Nevada was able to deliver a complete package that included design of the whole system, the supply of equipment, and full installation. As soon as the design was finalised, a digging crew was sent out. Within a week the 1.3 million litre pond was dug out and fully lined with High-density polyethylene plastic (HPDE). In that time, Alan and his staff were able to focus on what they do best without any concern around the management or installation of the project. To further streamline operations, Alan opted for a 9m Nevada Electric Stirrer with 2690 Progressive Cavity Pump for the main pond and a 2.2kW submersible stirrer with a 1.5kW submersible pump for the sump.
To spread effluent further down the farm, Alan decided on a Nevada 12,800L Tandem Slurry Tanker. Instead of having to get out in the rain to move an irrigator around, he is able to comfortably operate the tanker from his cab. In the middle of summer he is able to empty the whole pond and spread it across the paddocks efficiently. In his words, “it’s a bloody good machine really” and even gives Alan time to get home for a beer.