Almost every decision about a pivot follows from three things: the shape of the parcel, where the water comes from and what you grow. Start there and the rest of the specification — span count, nozzle package, drive — falls out of it.

Start with the shape of the parcel

Shape decides the machine before budget does. A circle inside a square leaves the corners dry; a machine that travels in a line covers them but needs a straight run to travel along. Everything below follows from which of those your ground allows.

The field is roughly round, or big enough not to mind

A center pivot. It turns about one reinforced base and waters the circle automatically at 90–95% water use efficiency, and it handles slope without complaint. The corners outside the circle stay dry — on a large parcel that is usually an acceptable trade for the lowest cost per decare of any system we build.

See center pivot systems

The field is square, rectangular or irregular

A linear machine. Travelling back and forth instead of turning, it reaches up to 98% of the parcel, so you irrigate the land you own rather than a circle inside it. Against flood or sprinkler irrigation it cuts labour cost by up to half, and on certain soil types it can apply small amounts to stop surface run-off.

See linear pivot systems

The holding is split into several small parcels

A universal machine. It rotates about a pivot centre where the ground is broad enough to turn in, and travels in a straight run where the parcel is long — so one machine covers a parcel that changes shape from one end to the other.

See universal pivot systems

What the answer does not depend on

All three systems are built on the same galvanized spans, the same tower drive and the same control panel. Whichever the field asks for, the spare parts and the service crew are the same — so the machine choice is a question about the land, not about what you are tying yourself to afterwards.

The machine choice is a question about the land, not about what you are tying yourself to afterwards.