WITH an aggregation of 5500 hectares of irrigation country based near Blighty in the southern Riverina, including 2500ha under linear lateral move sprays, the Macdonald family are determined to make the most efficient use of their available water allocation.
The family partnership comprising brothers Graeme, Bruce and Angus with their wives Karen, Nicole and Sarah operate a mixed farming business based at “Longleat”, Blighty, including sheep and some dryland cropping but their annual irrigated cropping program is what they concentrate on.
That is why the current low allocation of 23 percent water available through Murray Irrigation Limited (MIL) is restricting their farm productivity.
Looking over their plans for the coming season, Graeme Macdonald said they will probably increase total areas sown to winter crops and incorporate more short stemmed varieties in their mix.
“They use less water,” he said.
“In an average rainfall year we have grown five to six tonnes barley on half a meg of water per ha plus in-crop seasonal rainfall.”
Mr Macdonald said their normal rotation includes canola, beans, barley and wheat, and if the allocation does not substantially increase, they will look at substituting crops which use less water.
“We could possibly replace beans with lupins or lentils which require less water,” he said.
In the interests of growing crops but using less water, Mr Macdonald said they have been growing the short-stemmed wheat, Carack with great success yielding five to six tonnes per hectare using one and quarter megs per ha.
“We are growing better root systems on our plants because we are incorporating the latest technology in soil management via liquid systems,” Mr Macdonald said.
“We are looking to increase the organic carbon levels of our soils because we believe it helps retain soil moisture and we get better nutrient uptake and the plants root systems develop more and deeper growth.”
The Macdonald family are using premium agri-compost which they make themselves using feedlot waste combined with straw made following the grain harvest.
Karen Macdonald said they are encouraged by the results they are achieving.
“We see the benefit on hot days,” Mrs Macdonald said.
“Because the plants are stronger they don’t wilt under the extreme heat.”
Looking forward to this seasons winter crops, the Macdonald family have enough water to germinate their crops.
“In a normal year, we would have our storages filled, but we expect we may have to purchase water,” Mrs Macdonald said.
They all agreed the risk factor will be assessed in due course, and will depend upon the current price of water, plus the rainfall outlook.
“We can still plant our normal program, but the risk factor of not fully getting the crop potential is high if we don’t get reasonable in-crop rainfall plus extra irrigation allocation,” Bruce Macdonald said.
Karen Macdonald said the family farming business is performing well under tough conditions but would certainly be more productive with more water.
“If we had greater security of water supply we would be looking to increase the productivity of our operation,” she said.
“Our main concern is lack of water allocations … they aren’t like they used to be prior to the implementation of the basin plan.
