Livestock grazing along a watercourse can lead to direct pollution of water with urine and faeces which could mean pathogens entering the water. This can destroy aquatic habitats and lower the quality of water that could potentially enter the water that humans use. Excluding bovines from watercourses will prevent the breakdown of vegetation on the banks of the watercourse. It will also prevent pollution of the watercourse from bovines.
The GLAS scheme encourages farmers to fence off watercourses to keep animals from polluting the water. There are many requirement to abide by to be approved for the payment of €1.50/meter/year.
Requirements:
- Participants with an owned bovine enterprise must fence off all watercourse(s) on GLAS contract lands a minimum of 1.5 metres from the top of the bank of the watercourse to exclude the bovines by 31st July 2016.
- The LPIS parcels selected must be marked on the map submitted.
- The fencing must be stock proof, fit for purpose and be undertaken with permanent stakes and wire.
- Livestock drinking points are not permitted. An alternative water supply must be provided for livestock.
However, fencing off these watercourses can cause another problem for farmers. If the animals cannot access the water from the river, farmers will have to get a water connection supplied to that area of land which can be very expensive. We have another solution to providing water to animals while also following the GLAS requirements. A pasture pump.
This La Buvette made Aquamat is the smoothest operated pasture pump on the market. It is suitable for both horses and cattle. Its reliability has been tried and tested for over 20 years. The Aquamat pasture pump ensures that your animals have a constant supply of fresh water.
The Aquamat is reliable and sturdy. Its push rod surrounds the mechanism to avoid accidents. It is made from polyethylene and cast-iron. It is easily pushed by animals and is suitable for up to 10-15 animals. It is also available with a side bowl option for calves. The Aquamat has a non-return valve feature to prevent the pump from running dry.
This unique pasture pump can pump 7m in depth or 70m in length.
