Yield increases of 25-40% whether you are producing Alfalfa to sell to dairies or growing your own to feed your cows - can you afford not to give drip irrigation a serious look?
These yield increases are achieved by:
- More stems per crown
- Improved uniformity of water applied
- Less crop stress with improved ability to meet the crop's daily demand
- Improved soil moisture in soil status increases uptake of vital nutrients
For more information on drip irrigation in Alfalfa:
Netafim partners with UC Davis to showcase Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) in Alfalfa at TeVelde Dairy in Hanford, CA. Speakers provided growers with a look at the latest advancements in SDI along with installation and irrigation scheduling tips. Nico Slabber, TeVelde Dairy's Farm Manager explains how their alfalfa yield per acre has increased significantly with SDI.
Watch: UC Davis Alfalfa Field Day video
What About Rodents?
It is no secret that pocket gophers cause yield loss/crop damage in Alfalfa. They can also damage subsurface drip irrigation systems. As most growers are aware, there is no silver bullet for managing rodent pressures in any crop. What we recommend is a layered approach to managing rodents to minimize impact on yield and your subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system:
- Site Selection
- Site Preparation
- Trapping (can be effective in low population densities)
- Protec-T™ Dripline Maintenance Product
Protec-T™ is an exclusive Netafim product. When properly injected into the drip system, vertebrates find Protec-T offensive. While Protec-T's main function is as a line cleaner, it has been shown to promote migration of rodents to non-irrigated areas. As rodents move to non-irrigated areas, damage to subsurface driplines decreases and standard control practices become more effective including more exposure to predation from owls, hawks and other predators.
Click on the icons below to learn more.
Drip Payback Wizard
In only 4 steps you can calculate your estimated ROI for a drip irrigation system for Alfalfa. You can also calculate how many additional acres could be irrigated with the water conserved by drip. Click on the Drip/Micro Payback Wizard icon below to get started.
For More Information
Netafim USA can answer all your questions about subsurface drip irrigation for Alfalfa production.
To find the nearest Netafim USA District Sales Manager, visit our Support Team page.
To find the nearest Netafim USA Authorized Dealer, visit our Dealer Locator page.
For general inquiries, visit our Contact Us page.