Not every part of your paddock needs the same amount of water. Heavy soil here, light soil there. Wet patches. Dry corners. Stock tracks that don’t need water at all. Precision VRI lets you treat each zone differently instead of watering everything the same. Less waste. Better results. But does it make sense for your farm?
What is Precision VRI?
VRI (Variable Rate Irrigation) adjusts how much water your pivot applies based on a map of your paddock. Instead of one rate everywhere, you can apply more water to dry areas, less to wet spots, and none to tracks or unproductive zones.
We install Zimmatic Precision VRI powered by FieldNET. You control and monitor it from your phone. The system uses GPS to know exactly where it is in the paddock and adjusts automatically.
How it works:
You set the water depth (in mm) you want for each zone you’ve mapped. The system controls individual sprinklers using pulsing valves and adjusts the machine speed to deliver the exact depth to each area.
Example: Zone 1 (heavy soil) gets 10mm. Zone 2 (lighter soil) gets 15mm. Zone 3 (stock track) gets 0mm. Set it once, the system handles the rest.
When VRI makes sense:
VRI isn’t for every farm. But if you’ve got any of these, it’s worth looking at:
- Variable soils. Heavy ground holds water. Light ground drains fast. VRI treats them differently.
- Wet spots or low areas. Stop waterlogging the same areas every time.
- Stock camps and tracks. Turn water off where you don’t need it.
- Unproductive zones. Bush, fence lines, shelter belts, troughs. No point watering them.
- Environmental concerns. Avoid overwatering sensitive areas or nutrient leaching zones.
- Mixed crops or yield variation. Match water to what each zone actually needs.
Even flat-looking paddocks often have more variation than you’d think. A soil survey or aerial map usually shows it.
What farmers see after installing VRI:
Financial:
- Lower power bills (less pumping)
- Less fertiliser waste (no excess water washing it away)
- Fewer bogged areas and crop losses
- Better yields in spots that used to underperform
- Longer equipment life
- Reduced track maintenance (by keeping water off races and high-traffic areas)
Across a number of farms, VRI has been used to exclude water from stock tracks, keeping them consistently drier through the season. This reduces surface breakdown and wear, with track maintenance commonly dropping by 50% or more within the first 12 months.
With tracks holding together better, farmers are also seeing lower lameness levels (typically around 5–7% fewer lame cows in the herd). That flows through to:
- More time grazing and less time dealing with sore feet
- Improved intakes and more milk in the vat
- Lower vet input related to lameness
Environmental:
- Better water efficiency
- Less nutrient runoff
- Meets regional council expectations
VRI also works with other precision tools like nutrient mapping and yield tracking if you’re into that.
Common questions:
Do I need a new pivot for VRI? No any brand, any age. We’ll assess what you’ve got and what’s possible.
Is it hard to use? No. Once it’s set up and mapped, FieldNET makes it easy to adjust from your phone. We provide training and support.
Does it work on all soil types? Yes. It’s especially good on mixed or variable soils because you can treat each differently.
Is it worth it?
If you’re dealing with patchy yields, waterlogged spots, or want to be smarter with water and nutrients, VRI is worth considering. It’s not needed everywhere, but where conditions are right, the payoff shows up in both yield and peace of mind.
We can do an on-site assessment and help you figure out if VRI makes sense for your setup.
Constant Flow
Set up with constant flow, the pivot always uses the full volume of water available to it. When the corner arm is in and not irrigating, that water is redirected to the main pivot. The machine automatically speeds up to maintain the desired application depth. This results in a faster rotation time, applying the same amount of water in less time. This can reduce total run hours for both the pivot and pump, lowering power use. If you’re using scheme water, VRI allows you to utilise your full allocation at all times rather than leaving capacity unused.
The result = increased output and reduced operating costs.
Want to get more from every drop?
Give us a call and let’s talk about your paddocks, your pivot, and whether VRI fits your operation.
Call us on 0800 752 467 today or drop us a message
