Farm water

**Livestock Water Use:**
– Beef production requires 1,800 gallons of water per pound
– Pork production requires 576 gallons of water per pound
– Corn production requires 108 gallons of water per pound
– Livestock have a large feed conversion ratio
– Global food animal population is over 20 billion
– U.S. produced 25.8 billion pounds of beef in 2013
– 201.2 billion pounds of milk were produced in the same year
– Cattle in CAFOs consume 7 to 24 gallons of water per day
– Feed conversion ratio for cattle is 6:1
– Growing feed grains for livestock accounts for 56% of U.S. water consumption

**Poultry Water Use:**
– Birds consume more water as they grow larger
– A 1000-bird flock’s water consumption increases by 10 gallons/day in 3 weeks
– Water consumption by poultry is influenced by temperature
– 67% of water near poultry farms contained antibiotics in an Ohio study
– Water is essential for digestion and temperature regulation in poultry

**Horticulture Water Use:**
– Crops are cultivated year-round worldwide
– Irrigation practices are becoming more sustainable
– Two main types of irrigation systems are high flow and low flow
– Precision management is crucial to prevent water wastage
– Runoff, overspray, and low-head drainage must be avoided

**Scarcity of Water in Agriculture:**
– Water competition has intensified with the growing global population
– Farmers need to increase productivity to meet food demands
– Water scarcity constrains agriculture in many parts of the world
– Physical and economic water scarcity are significant issues
– Environmental regulations in developed countries affect water availability

**Impact of Livestock Farming on Water Usage:**
– Raising livestock for meat requires significant water resources
– Cows have a substantial water footprint
– Broilers and poultry also consume considerable amounts of water
– Antimicrobial residues from swine and poultry operations can affect water quality
– Livestock farming contributes to water scarcity and pollution