The last 18-months has been the driest on record in south west Victoria. Recent rains have turned paddocks green, but some farmers are still experiencing hardship. Aware that water is a finite resource, experienced dairy farmer Bruce Vallance is constantly looking for ways to improve the efficiency of his irrigation system. Here, Bruce shares his hard-earned wisdom and why he’s confident about the future of farming.
Bruce’s dairy story started 30 years ago when he moved from share-farming a piggery in Bendigo to milking cows in Nirranda, despite having no dairy experience. Today, he runs dairy farm Ocean Road Pastoral with his wife Andrea, daughter Jordy and farm manager. Together, they milk 800 cows on 740 acres and irrigate about 132 hectares.
Bruce’s business motto is to ‘work smarter not necessarily harder’, and he thinks getting the right irrigation equipment and getting it set up properly is crucial.
“We're lucky in south west Victoria because we’ve got great service providers that can give us the right technical advice to grow the most grass with our equipment,” he said.
Bruce said the long-term investment in equipment and technology has been worth it and the focus for them has been about fine tuning their set up to maximise water efficiency.
“In the last two years we’ve worked through our irrigation system to match it with the farm’s pasture evapotranspiration requirements needed for optimum grass growth,” he said.
Evapotranspiration (ET) represents the total water loss from a pasture through evaporation from the soil surface and transpiration from the plant leaves.
Evapotranspiration is a key factor in determining how much water a pasture needs to thrive. By understanding ET, farmers can schedule irrigations more effectively, ensuring that plants receive the right amount of water at the right time.
They’re also using a precision irrigation technique, called Variable Rate Irrigation, on their pivots to optimise their water use. Rather than applying a uniform amount of water across a paddock, Variable Rate Irrigation systems adjust the water application rate based on the specific needs of different zones within the paddock.
“We’re using VRI in paddocks with high soil variability to optimise our water use in different areas and to avoid watering unproductive areas like laneways, drop areas and gate ways,” he said.
Bruce said the system review has allowed them to water more efficiently and get the most feed for every megalitre of water.
“We’ve looked at the numbers and achieved a 20 per cent reduction in water use and a 0.5 tonnes dry matter per hectare increase in pasture production,” he said.
The Vallances aren’t immune from the effects of drought because it impacts their feeding strategy with repercussions for the team.
“Like a lot of people in south west Victoria, we've been feeding every head of stock on the farm for some time and we’ve been putting in long hours to make sure our cows get what they need to stay healthy and productive,” he said.
“Climate variability is something we have to live with, but we work to manage the risks around our feed supply to reduce the chance of getting caught out.”
“For example, we lock in grain and hay contracts up to 12 months in advance which cushions us from seasonal price spikes and secures our supply times when feed becomes scarce,” he said.
While Bruce says last year was one of the worst he’s experienced, he believes everything comes in cycles and is confident they’re planning for a more uncertain climate future.
“In the early days it was all about production, but now we're focused on sustainability by making better use of effluent, our water resources and managing our pasture to improve soil conditions and nutrient cycling,” he said.
“Our daughter, Jordy, is a vet by training and very interested in regenerative agriculture practices that improve our land, animal health and are worth investing in to build greater resilience in the business,” he said.
Bruce and his wife Andrea are in the process of handing the reins over to Jordy and they’re positive about the future.
“I think the next generation are well up for the challenge, and from what I see, they’re taking on all the issues and doing a good job of it,” he said.
“They've got the will and the skills, particularly with emerging technology, to make things better on-farm and balance work with their lifestyle,” he said.
Listening to Bruce you can’t help but be uplifted by his wisdom and quiet optimism that while times have been tough better days are ahead.