The Aftermath Of Flooding and Your Farm
The devastating flood crisis that is currently impacting large areas of Queensland and Northern NSW, have seen thousands of houses and farmlands submerged under water. The hardship is only likely to continue once clean-up begins, revealing the horrific impacts of the flood needed to be dealt with. However, dealing with the reality of a damaged farmland is something farmers should not have to deal with alone.
As a leading provider for steel supplies in the top end of Australia, we know what’s required to get you back up and running. From well-made cattle sheds to cattle handling equipment required to ensure stress-free movement of livestock during clean-up, we know a thing or two about how to rebuild after a natural disaster and what you can do to best prepare for future wet seasons.
Flooding And Your Cattle
While people and families can act quickly to protect themselves in the event of a natural disaster, larger animals and livestock are often neglected due to the challenge, both physically and financially.
Efficient management of a crisis is imperative to minimising the damage caused. Cattle should be moved to higher ground for safety, examined for injuries, and subsequently attended to by a veterinarian if accessible. All livestock should be vaccinated to safeguard them against any infectious diseases circulating as an outcome of the floods. Farmers should also be mindful to prevent the overflow of manure pits into rivers or drinking water and should be flagged as a task of priority to avoid further calamities. Feed for animals should meet nutritional requirements to maintain livestock health and mitigate the risk of illnesses. Understandably, due to supply and demand constraints, the availability of food may be difficult to attain, therefore having superfluous food supplies (stored on higher ground) is always recommended to ensure a greater level of protection during sudden crisis.
Soil Conditions and Pasture Management
Once a flood has passed, concerns for the quality and state of your pasture is understandable. In response to flood damage, farmers must begin altering their practices in order to revive their farm health.
Pasture areas that are presented with an intense increase of rainfall will see a chemical imbalance in the soil which can easily place the health of cattle at risk. Pastures are often resilient and have the ability to recover from flooding eventually, however, there are strategies farmers aid in the recovery process.
The process can start with a change in fertiliser to balance soil pH levels. Additionally, as a preventative measure building of larger drainage system throughout the farm can prove helpful in the event of flooding in the future. Although this sounds obvious, the drainage system installed should be larger than anticipated to account for any unexpected rainfall. With the help of quality wires, posts and gates as well as an irrigation system, you’ll be able to protect your farm and prevent severe damages from intense rainfall.
How SSCT Can Help
Expecting your farm to return to pre-flood levels may seem unimaginable now, however, farmers have the opportunity to make improvements that will ensure its efficiency, sustainability and durability and in turn, productivity.
Investing in using better cattle handling equipment is pivotal to safeguarding your farm from future disasters. Evidently during the recent flooding, farms with older and damaged fences saw greater destruction to their land as they did not have the right materials to deal with the consequences. Although building sturdy sheds and tools may be costly in the short-term, it is extremely advantageous in the long-term, for when there are lesser costs involved in repairing and rebuilding the damaged goods. Steel Supplies specialises in building steel sheds, which feature high-quality, durable materials to protect farmers, their land’s, and livelihoods during times of uncertainty.
Contact us for more information on how we can help.
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