By Blake Jackson
High-clearance robotic irrigation (HCRI), marketed as 360 RAIN, is gaining attention among Midwest dairy farms as a way to improve nutrient management during the crop-growing season. The technology allows producers to apply diluted manure and leachate when crops are actively growing, helping deliver nutrients and moisture directly to the root zone.
Using HCRI during summer can reduce the need for heavy manure applications in fall, when wet or unpredictable weather can increase the risk of nutrient losses. The system can also reach irregularly shaped fields and areas that traditional center-pivot irrigation equipment may miss.
A Calumet County dairy farmer used the system on corn, applying 22,000 gallons per acre over three applications from late July into August.
The application supplied 40.7 pounds of nitrogen and 5.42 pounds of phosphorus per acre. Because the crop was actively growing, much of the applied nutrients and water could be used by the plants.
Cost savings are another potential advantage. A Kewaunee County farmer compared HCRI with conventional dragline manure application. His calculations showed that 360 RAIN cost about $0.006 per gallon, compared with approximately $0.012 per gallon using his own dragline equipment. A local manure hauler charged about $0.02 per gallon.
The same farmer used 16,000 gallons per acre on a 65-acre cornfield, supplying enough nitrogen to eliminate supplemental fertilizer. This saved approximately $1,850 while producing an average farm yield. During 2025, the farmer used the system to apply 3.5 million gallons of manure and 3.7 million gallons of leachate.
Distance from manure storage can be challenging, but a Manitowoc County farmer demonstrated that the system can work farther away. Using tankers to supply a field 7.8 miles from the manure pit, he applied 2 million gallons during three weeks.
Overall, 360 RAIN could expand summer nutrient application opportunities, improve nutrient use efficiency, reduce seasonal hauling pressure, and help dairy farms manage water-quality risks.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-songbird839
Categories: Wisconsin, General