Experts Gather at TeVelde Dairy for An Afternoon of Demonstrations and Presentations on Increasing Yields with Alfalfa SDI
In the face of record-setting drought conditions in California's Central Valley, Netafim USA recently teamed up with the University of California, Davis' College of Agriculture & Natural Resources and the UC Cooperative Extension to host a field tour at TeVelde Dairy in Hanford, CA. Held in the heart of California's parched Central Valley, the September 12th field tour provided growers with a look at the latest advancements in subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) while addressing installation, costs, irrigation scheduling, system management and performance in alfalfa applications.
Attended by a diverse group of growers, students, industry and academic professionals, the field tour served as an opportunity to share experiences and learn about new research developments, SDI technology and advances in crop management tools and techniques.
The program opened with a discussion on successful implementation of SDI, system parameters, irrigation management and fertility, followed by a discussion on rodent management strategies for subsurface drip irrigation.
"The rising price of alfalfa has resulted in a surge of interest in SDI from dairy farmers looking to hedge their costs and maximize profits by growing their own feed and leveraging more efficient production methods," said Matt Langa, District Sales Manager for Netafim USA. "Conducting a field tour allows Netafim to further demonstrate how drip irrigation technology can improve plant health, lead to longer stand life and higher yields, and reduce overall operating costs through decreased labor, energy and water usage."
The program continued with presentations by UC Davis agronomist and forage specialist, Dan Putnam, PhD, addressing proper ground preparation and planting, timing and SDI research observations.
"There is no overstating the importance of the $1.3 billion alfalfa industry and what it's worth to the state of California, especially the $7+ billion dairy sector. Efforts to improve water use efficiency, including SDI, are imperative for growers to consider in regards to sustainable productivity and dealing with limited water supplies," said Putnam. "As prolonged drought conditions threaten the future of crop production in California, it is important to explore every strategy for more careful water management, including this project with Netafim on subsurface drip irrigation. Change in technologies are an important component in advancing the ability of growers to balance production and sustainability."
"Some of the key advantages of SDI are the ability to improve distribution uniformity over a field and apply water quickly over time just as the crop needs it, providing much more timely and careful applications" he adds. Some of the key challenges he sees include rodent management, costs, and maintenance.
Nico Slabber, TeVelde Dairy's farm manager concluded the program by sharing the benefits of using SDI on the Dairy's alfalfa blocks.
"The real benefit of switching to a Netafim subsurface drip irrigation system has been water productivity. With drip irrigation we have been able to increase our yield per acre significantly, meaning our overall alfalfa acreage can reduce while still maintaining the same tonnage," said Slabber. "When considering drip irrigation, it was important that we work with a credible manufacturer that had the knowledge and expertise to work with us to find the right solution for our operation."
For more information on Netafim's industry leading drip irrigation solutions, please visit www.netafimusa.com.
ABOUT NETAFIM USANetafim USA, based in Fresno, Calif., develops and manufactures drip irrigation systems for agriculture, landscape & turf, greenhouse & nursery, mining and wastewater. Netafim offers an extensive range of irrigation solutions including driplines, filters, sprinklers, valves, water meters and automation equipment for complete dripline system installations. For more information go to www.netafimusa.com.
9.30.2014