A soil moisture sensor and weather station are indispensable for dairy farmer Jacco Wink from Wijk and Aalburg in Brabantse. "The grassland is my most important source of protein, it has to be in perfect order," says Jacco firmly. "By starting irrigation earlier and working with smaller doses, costs have been reduced and grass growth improved."
Dairy and arable farming company Wink & Boll, the company of Jacco Wink and his wife Josien Boll, does many things slightly differently. The family has been farming in the land of Heusden and Altena for almost a hundred years. At De Hoeve Landbouw, we work with fixed paths on the grassland, the dairy cows are kept in a low-emission stable where urine and manure are separated, and these fertilizers are applied separately and accurately to the land. Much attention is paid to grass growth on very heavy river clay. This is the most important source of protein for the company.
More grass through precise irrigation
The company has been using a RainExact weather station with rain gauge and the SoilExact soil moisture sensors from AgroExact for some time now. "The app is on the phone and of course it goes everywhere," says Jacco. "I check it several times a day, for example to plan work. The soil moisture sensors provide a better picture of the moisture level in the soil. After several years of use, I have started to irrigate differently. It is more based on the measured data. This is how we start. We stop earlier when it gets dry. On the other hand, I prefer to give small doses of water of about 20 millimeters. In our experience, this has the same effect as irrigating 30 or 35 millimeters and water out. This approach has resulted in more high-quality grass in the silage, which ultimately means more protein from our own land. That is what we strive for."
Two SoilExact soil moisture sensors have been buried in the grassland, at a depth of 12 and 25 centimeters. “This allows us to see the difference between the two soil layers in the root zone of the grass and whether the water is coming from above or capillary rise from below,” Wink explains. This year the company has the opportunity to test a new sensor model for AgroExact.
New sensor
“The new sensor model is completely buried in the ground, including the box with the hardware,” continues the dairy farmer. "This has the great advantage that it can also be placed in the middle of a plot. Previously, there always had to be a post next to it to which the hardware was attached. In arable farming this is not such a problem, but in grassland it is. After all, you have many more operations with machines during the year. Of course, you have to remember exactly where you dug the sensor! Fortunately, the location is determined with GPS.
Wink thinks that a moisture sensor is indispensable, especially for dairy farmers who irrigate their grassland. "It saves costs, produces more grass (and therefore protein) and contributes to the maintenance of your turf. I would therefore definitely recommend it to colleagues. AgroExact also provides good telephone support."
More information or want to know where the measuring points are? Check it out www.agroexact.com