A recent study shows in a 30 year period, Canada's beef industry has dramatically reduced its water footprint.

The research was conducted by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Lethbridge and the University of Manitoba, showing the amount of water required to produce 1 kilogram of Canadian beef has decreased 17 per cent from 1981 to 2011.

Dr. Tim McAllister, a Researcher at the Lethbridge Research Station, says one of the major reasons was an increase in carcass size.

"The carcass size is much larger in 2011 than it was in 1981, and so if you produce more meat from a single animal, then the maintenance requirements associated with the production of that meat is lower, and so that's a major reason why it took less water to produce the same amount of meat in 2011 than in 1981."

He says, improvements in irrigation also played a large role.

"99 per cent of the water is used for the production of the feed. Only 1 per cent of the is actually consumed by the animal it's self. There has been substantial improvements and investment in irrigation efficiencies over 1981 versus 2011. So, a lot of the local canal systems have actually been converted into enclosed pipelines, the methods of the application is mostly now a lot through what we call central pivot systems, as opposed to flood irrigation."

On the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC)Website, they say in 2011, producing a kilogram of boneless beef in Canada required 459 liters of blue water and 15,485 liters of green water.

McAllister says, blue water is related to water used in irrigation, or pumped from the well and applied to crops, and green water is the water associated with rainfall.

The study is a part of a larger study called, Defining the Environmental Footprint of Canadian Beef Production.

The research will contribute to the efforts of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, as apart of the beef industry's commitment for continuous improvement in sustainability.

Cherie Copithorne-Barnes, who ranches west of Calgary, is the Chair of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef.

She says, it's important to have a good understanding of how you're contributing to those levels within your own eco-system.

"The water footprint is one that personally effects consumers, so it's one that their watching. So, it's something that we have to be cognisant and we have to be monitoring."

Copithorne- Barnes says, as the world is becoming more aware of agriculture production practices, it's important producers supply the information that's needed to tell the beef industry's story.

In regards to beef production, Canada is one of the most water-efficient countries in the world.

To view the full report, you can follow the link.

 

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