Pump applications · Agriculture
Pumps in Agriculture
Irrigation, water supply and effluent / slurry handling.
Farms and agribusiness pump water for irrigation, pressurise supply networks, and move manure slurry and effluent. The split is clear: centrifugals for clean water and pressure, progressive cavity for thick slurry and dosing.
Pump types
Which pump does what
End-suction centrifugal
Irrigation & water transfer
Moves large volumes of clean or lightly-laden water from rivers, bores and dams to irrigation networks at moderate head.
Vertical multistage
Pressurised irrigation & boosting
High-head pumps for pivots, drip systems and long-distance mains where pressure matters more than sheer volume.
Progressive cavity
Manure slurry & effluent
Handles thick manure slurry, digestate and dairy effluent at constant flow — gentle enough for biogas feedstock, tough enough for grit.
Submersible / self-priming
Sumps, ponds & flood
Drains effluent ponds, sumps and low-lying ground; self-priming units suit tanker fill and portable duties.
Duty guide
Matching the pump to the job
| Application / duty | Typical pump type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Flood / furrow irrigation | End-suction centrifugal | High flow, low-to-moderate head; efficient near BEP. |
| Pivot / drip irrigation | Vertical multistage | Higher head for pressurised networks; VFD for zone control. |
| Bore / river water supply | Submersible or end-suction | Lift and transfer clean water to storage or ring main. |
| Dairy / piggery effluent | Progressive cavity | Thick slurry and solids — constant flow, abrasion-tolerant. |
| Digestate / biogas feed | Progressive cavity | Gentle, accurate feed of viscous feedstock and digestate. |
| Nutrient / additive dosing | PC dosing pump | Precise metering of fertiliser and additives into flow. |
Key considerations
What to get right in agriculture
- Clean-water irrigation is centrifugal — pick end-suction for volume, multistage for pressure, and size near BEP.
- Manure slurry and effluent are progressive cavity duties: high solids, high viscosity, constant flow needed.
- Suction lift from rivers, dams and bores makes NPSH critical — keep suction lines short and check the margin.
- Abrasive grit in surface water and slurry wears pumps — run slower and choose wear-resistant materials.
- VFDs and pressure control save diesel/electricity on variable irrigation demand and long mains.
Size a pump for your duty
Use our selectors to match a pump to your flow and pressure, or talk to our engineers about a complete skid.