Cracking the cow-proof code: How Nanobubble Agritech built a breakthrough dripline for dairy farmers
- Lauren Oehme
- Dec 12, 2025
- 4 min read
Cows are curious creatures.
Ask any dairy farmer and they’ll tell you, a cow will have a good sniff and a chew on just about anything it comes across in the paddock. Their inquisitive nature is part of what makes them smart – and means any machinery in their space has got to stand up to a mouth made to chew and 500kg of bulk on four sharp hooves.
This year, the Nanobubble Agritech engineering team set out with the goal to build a dripline tough enough to survive New Zealand dairy conditions and the cows that come with them.
After months of R&D and thousands of metres of prototypes, the team has done exactly that.
Introducing Nanobubble Agritech’s new cow-proof dripline
A major 2025 innovation, designed by engineers, farmers and tested on-farm, and now gearing up for commercial rollout next season.
The number one question received by the team from dairy farmers who are considering installing a Nanobubble Agritech system is: “How will the dripline work with my cows?”
The new Nanobubble Agritech dripline now ticks all the boxes:
Cows can’t crush it
Cows can’t chew it
It maintains consistent water delivery
It integrates seamlessly with centre pivot systems
And it removes the need to manage stock around the pivot
It’s durable, practical, and engineered specifically for New Zealand dairy conditions, a point of difference unmatched by anything currently on the market.
How the project began: a real world challenge from dairy farmers
Over the last two seasons, more NZ dairy farmers have begun to explore nanobubble technology, seeing the benefits of improved pasture performance and water efficiency it delivers.
But a major obstacle kept emerging: “If the cows damage the dripline, the whole system is compromised.”
It didn’t matter how effective nanobubbles were if the delivery mechanism couldn’t stand up to stock pressure.
The team made the decision early in 2025 to prioritise a solution and turned the workshop into a full-scale R&D hub.
Behind the build (7,500 metres of kiwi ingenuity)
One of the standout elements of this project wasn’t just the innovation, it was the hands-on commitment from the entire team.
Yes, we manually engineered 7.5km of dripline!
Instead of waiting (and paying) for a fully automated manufacturing line without being certain the new dripline would even work, the team rolled up their sleeves.
As Rhys Bishop, the engineer leading the cow-proof dripline project, explains:
“Driplines are usually made in huge automated machines. But to get this product right, we manually engineered the first prototype which was 7,500 metres long. We cut and connected sections every 30cm. It was all hands on deck.”
This wasn’t just a technical build, it was a team effort that pulled together design engineers, R&D specialists, and on-farm installers.
Every join, fitting, and connection was tested for:
Crush and kink resistance
Bite resistance
Longevity under pressure
Flow consistency
Integration with nanobubble systems
Real-world testing (putting it to the “cow-proof” test!)
Prototypes don’t mean much until they meet actual stock.
To validate the real-world durability of the new dripline, the team tested it on Rhys’ parents’ beef farm in Taranaki.
Testing included:
Compression tests: dripline placed under stock moving over concrete to test resistance to the cow’s weight and sharp hooves
Drag and crush tests: repeated force to mimic daily stock behaviour
Kink testing: ensuring lines immediately bounced back to normal if kinked, twisted or bent
Bite resistance: checking whether cows could damage or tear at lines and fittings.
The dripline passed, proving itself tougher than even the team itself initially expected.
It is now in operation at two sites, where early results confirm durability and consistent water delivery in real dairy conditions.
Why this breakthrough is exciting for dairy farmers
This dripline doesn’t just solve an engineering problem, it solves a farming problem.
No more managing stock around pivots
Farmers no longer need to move herds to protect Nanobubble Agritech irrigation hardware.
Reduced labour and frustration
Less fixing, no more replacing lines. This was never a big job to begin with, but no farmer needs MORE work on their plate!
Protects long-term irrigation investment
Durability means lower maintenance and longer lifespan.
Consistent water delivery = healthier pasture
Nanobubbles + reliable dripline = improved root zone oxygenation and pasture performance.
Designed specifically for NZ dairy conditions
Not adapted from horticulture. Not a generic import. This was built for dairy farmers, by a team immersed in NZ farming.
Engineering excellence (a highlight of 2025!)
For Design Engineer Daneel Ovtcharenko, one moment stands out from the year:
“Getting all the components together and seeing it actually working out in the field was a highlight of our year. It’s the culmination of months of iterative design and testing.”
This dripline project reflects Nanobubble Agritech’s ethos - practical, future-focused, farmer-driven innovation.
What’s next? Full rollout for the 2026 season
With successful testing completed and early installations underway, the cow-proof dripline will be commercially ready for the next irrigation season.
Farmers can now:
Enquire about installation
Book site assessments
Integrate the new dripline into existing pivots
Combine it with nanobubble technology for improved water efficiency
This breakthrough is being prepared for wider rollout, and early interest is already strong.
Book a farm visit: www.nanobubbleagritech.com/contact
Download our free e-book: click here
Talk to our team about integrating the cow-proof dripline next season on your farm.