Contexte

Water is key to the future of human and animal activity, as it will be an increasingly limited resource and its quality is expected to reduce in the coming years. It is estimated that there will be an increase in the demand for drinking water due to the growth of the human population and the consequent increase in agricultural production required to supply people with food, and also due to changing rainfall patterns caused by climate change (Doreau et al., 2012). There are various methodologies used to calculate water needs, each one producing a different final value, but the most accepted method states that producing 1 kg of beef requires 15,415 l of water (Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2012). This figure is questionable and a value should be provided in accordance with our production system, given that efficiency values, water consumption values, and the slaughter age of the animals have been assumed.
Water quality is getting worse. Water quality can be defined in terms of its organoleptic, physical and chemical and microbiological aspects. There are two aspects that are of particular interest in terms of decreasing quality: nitrate contamination and microbiological quality, in addition to possible treatments to improve the situation.
What actions can be taken and where?
a) Determine the consumption of water in the various fattening phases (consumption curves in accordance with age and time of year). Adjust the supply to the demand. Contribute data to calculate the water footprint.
b) Cc Optimise
Consumption: reduce wastage by assessing the type and number of drinking troughs.
c) Determine its optimal quality: nitrates.
d) Study optimal water purification treatments: effect on consumption, efficiency.