Water Footprinting
At E-CO2, water is recognised as an important agricultural resource. With this in mind, we’ve developed the industry-leading Water Footprint Tool.
The Tool allows a dairy farm to estimate their water use based on number and weight of animals on farm; feed data; milk production; milk characteristics; parlour management; and milk storage. The resulting estimate, and accompanying report, can then be used to facilitate efficient water use on-farm by comparing metered water to estimated water use or by identify areas where use is above average and savings can be made.
The Water Footprint Tool was recently used in a DairyCo study to establish a baseline of water used in the production of milk, at the farm level. It is the first British study of its type.
The report revealed that:
“Efficient milk production will reduce the quantity of water used per litre of milk. Improvements in water use efficiency will reduce cost, as well as improve the environmental credentials of the dairy industry. Avoiding leaks, and regular checking of pipework, should be a given for efficient management of water supply. All eleven participating farms reported a 100% recycling of plate cooler water. However, only one reported use of a water-efficient pressure washer.”
For more information on the Water Footprint Tool and how it can be used to increase water use efficiency on your farm, download a copy of ‘The volumetric water consumption of British milk: Supplementary study on a sample of 11 dairy farms’ here.”