Choosing the right system to irrigate dairy farms in the drier parts of the South Island is vital for two main reasons. The first is that efficient irrigation is essential for a highly productive and profitable enterprise. The second is that to maximise pasture production and from that, milk production, you need a system that you can be sure will perform to the high level required. It is important to realise that irrigation is an integral part of the farming business. It is not an insurance to be used when things get dry, so getting it right is crucial to success. Consideration must be given to the circumstances in which the system must operate in terms of the physical, business and community environment and how those factors relate to the advantages and disadvantages of the various system types.

Paper presented at South Island Dairy Event (SIDE) conference, 25-27 June 2001, Lincoln University.