Description

Practice abstract

Marianne Schönning has 50 dairy cows and 130 ha on the farm in Härnebo in Northern Sweden. The farm has certified organic dairy production, and grazing is therefore important in the cows’ fodder ration. The recurring droughts in recent years’ have led to a fluctuating grass production. The uncertainty of the fodder production has been stressful. However, the lake near the farm is improving the conditions. 

Four years ago the farm invested in an irrigation system. It consists of an irrigation reel and underground pipes with connection points in all paddocks near the farm. The paddocks are grazed one day, then topped and irrigated thereafter. The dose is usually 20–30 mm. 

Today a great part of the farm’s temporary grasslands can be irrigated. The fodder supply is more resilient. There are many lakes in the area and other farms could also use irrigation. If possible, the farm would expand the system to the land remote from the farm. That would require installation of electric cables, which is costly. An extra irrigation reel would allow more intensive irrigation resulting in better yield. 

Context profil