Sustainable level of water pumping to protect environment and livestock sustenance

Abstract

Livestock production impacts heavily the world's water supply, accounting for more than 8 percent of global human water use, mainly for the irrigation of feed crops. Evidence suggests it is the largest sectoral source of water pollutants, principally animal wastes, antibiotics, hormones, chemicals from tanneries, fertilizers and pesticides used for feed crops, and sediments from eroded pastures. Continual water pumping may lead to the fall in water table and subsequently cause decrease vegetation and crop production, of which byproduct will be largely utilized for livestock feeding. This may result in unhygienic livestock watering management. Therefore, livestock number, production and livestock watering system must be harmonized to get optimum result. The Journal of AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT Vol. 8, 2007, pp. 119-125