Irragation

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Should I buy an irragation system?

  • Yes

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
  • Poll closed .
S

showme

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Jun 30, 2004
Messages
431
City & State/Province
Duson,Louisiana
How much would it cost to irragate my pastures? Would I have to have a pump/well for that. Any idea how much a well or pump would cost? If you had the money would you do it. What are some goods and bads about irragation?Thanks to all reply's.
 
I realize there are huge differences in water law between states but the first question I would ask is do you have irrigation rights? I wouldn't put the money into a system unless I knew that I had the right to use the water.
Dave
 
would you be pumping from a well or a running water source, secondly. depending on pump size, amount of irrigation line, acreage and some other variable, your pump will vary in cost. i think our pump, just guessing here, cost between $2500 and $3000. we use it on 3 different pastures. 1 pasture has a 17 joint wheel line, another has a 17 joint and 10 joint lines, and the other has two 14 joint lines in it. give or take on the joint lines. they can't all run at the same time obviously. we usually run 2 at a time though so that we don't run the risk of blowing our lines up. i would talk to someone near you who has line and knows what they are talking about and also consult with and irrigation systems rep. good luck.
 
I would say it depends on your climate, ie rainfall. We are in a high desert area and get around 12" of rain/year, and most of it is in snow when it is to cold to grow anything. Irrigation can make land much more productive, but it comes at a price. I can easily run between 1.75 and 2.5 pairs/acre from April 15 or so though about October 15 (depends on the year) on irrigated pasture. I would say around 1 pair for one month dryland on comparable land. BUT... That increase can cost around $80 acre for the irrigation alone. Now if that gap was less and I could even find other pasture in the summer I would. Irrigating in a dry area can run you to death. We have gone to some grazing under center pivots, which are oh so much better than wheelines or hand lines and grow a lot more grass than flood irrigation. Again, they are expensive initially although cheaper to run than other sprinkler irrigation.
I am getting long winded here but basically for irrigation to work you need:
A source of water; well or surface. Surface is cheaper because you don't have to pay to lift water (I have one 125hp pump on a 325' deep well, the power bill is ridicolous) but you have to have a water right.

The capital needed to install an irrigation system, which will depend on everything from field size and shape to soils, etc.

And last but not least the increased production must cover the operating cost of the system, pay back the capital used for installation over a reasonable lenth of time, and still leave you some extra profit for all the messing around with pipe, you time, etc. Let us know more details and maybe I can give you more advice.
 
I wouldnt spend that kind of money just cause we had one dry year. Looks like the cost will outway the benefits with the amount of usual rainfall in La. Not unless I needed a he#* of a tax writeoff.
 
SCfarms":2kbs3lx4 said:
How much would it cost to irragate my pastures? Would I have to have a pump/well for that. Any idea how much a well or pump would cost? If you had the money would you do it. What are some goods and bads about irragation?Thanks to all reply's.
Click to expand...

It will cost you too much, it will work you to death, and irrigation water just doesn't make grass grow as well as the same amount of rain. I expect your rainfall is more than mine. I get 45-50 inches per year.

I irrigate my grass horse show rings because that's where I make real money. I have an underground 6-inch line running from a pto pump at one of my ponds. I use big Nelson guns that cover a 300 foot circle at 60 psi and 400 gpm. Only had to run it once this year.

I don't irrigate my pastures or hay fields because it wouldn't pay and it would consume huge volumes of pond water just when the ponds are already under drought stress. Wells around here don't produce nearly enough water for ag irrigation.

I irrigated 2 weeks ago for a horse show and the grass greened up very little. Late last week we got a good rain and the grass is greening up and growing like crazy. There's nothing like natural rainwater.
gabby
 
You mentioned that the pivots were nice to use except for the initial investment. I have heard that the maintenance on them is very expensive, have you experienced much of this? How often can you just go out and "push a button" ? I would appreciate any information you would share.

NorCalFarms":446ynljm said:
I would say it depends on your climate, ie rainfall. We are in a high desert area and get around 12" of rain/year, and most of it is in snow when it is to cold to grow anything. Irrigation can make land much more productive, but it comes at a price. I can easily run between 1.75 and 2.5 pairs/acre from April 15 or so though about October 15 (depends on the year) on irrigated pasture. I would say around 1 pair for one month dryland on comparable land. BUT... That increase can cost around $80 acre for the irrigation alone. Now if that gap was less and I could even find other pasture in the summer I would. Irrigating in a dry area can run you to death. We have gone to some grazing under center pivots, which are oh so much better than wheelines or hand lines and grow a lot more grass than flood irrigation. Again, they are expensive initially although cheaper to run than other sprinkler irrigation.
I am getting long winded here but basically for irrigation to work you need:
A source of water; well or surface. Surface is cheaper because you don't have to pay to lift water (I have one 125hp pump on a 325' deep well, the power bill is ridicolous) but you have to have a water right.

The capital needed to install an irrigation system, which will depend on everything from field size and shape to soils, etc.

And last but not least the increased production must cover the operating cost of the system, pay back the capital used for installation over a reasonable lenth of time, and still leave you some extra profit for all the messing around with pipe, you time, etc. Let us know more details and maybe I can give you more advice.
Click to expand...
 

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