With water companies warning of above inflation increases in the cost of water, dairy farmers should look now at improving water usage efficiency and alternative sources, according to DairyCo.
Mains water can cost dairy farmers as much as £100 per cow per year, but these outgoings could be easily reduced. DairyCo's Effective use of water on dairy farms suggests ways to cut costs and maximise efficiencies – especially important as annual water company charges are expected to continue to increase at above inflation rates in coming years.
Kate Cross, extension officer at DairyCo, says: "The booklet will help farmers identify how much water they are using, how much this costs to source and dispose of, and what they can do to reduce their usage or the cost of the water that is being used, as well as examining alternative sources of water such as boreholes and rainwater collection."
Case studies detail a range of options for sourcing water with associated costs. These include abstraction from surface water such as rivers, abstraction from ground water such as springs and boreholes, rain water harvest and water reuse.
Kate concludes: "This comprehensive booklet will help dairy farmers assess their current situation and decide on a cost-effective course of action to meet their future water needs."