Water Usage in Animal Product Production: A Growing Concern

Water scarcity is becoming one of the most pressing challenges in India, with depleting groundwater levels and erratic rainfall patterns worsening the crisis. While crops such as rice, sugarcane, and cotton are well-known for their high water demands, animal-based food products such as milk, meat, and eggs also consume enormous amounts of water.

Recognizing this, scientists are now focusing on reducing water consumption in animal production systems. The approach includes improving the nutritional value of animal feed so that less feed is required, thereby indirectly reducing water usage in feed cultivation and livestock management. Institutions like the National Meat Research Centre, Hyderabad, and the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, have prepared reports highlighting the severity of this issue.

Why Animal Products Consume So Much Water

Animal production involves multiple water-intensive processes:
 

• Cultivation of feed grains (such as maize and soybean).
• Drinking water for livestock and poultry.
• Farm maintenance and hygiene.
• Processing of products like milk and meat.

This cumulative demand makes animal products some of the most water-intensive food items in the world.

Water Consumption Breakdown

Eggs
 

• Water per egg: ~160 liters
• Average egg weight: 50–56 grams
• A laying hen consumes around 110 grams of feed per day.
• India produced 14,000 crore (140 billion) eggs in 2024.

Chicken
 

• Water per 1 kg chicken meat: ~4,300 liters
• A broiler chicken consumes about 120 grams of feed daily.
• Slaughtering requires an additional 5–6 liters per bird.
• India produced 52 lakh tonnes (5.2 million tonnes) of chicken meat in 2024.

Milk
 

• Water per liter of milk: ~1,078 liters
• Cows and buffaloes drink 30–80 liters of water daily depending on age, weight, and climate.
• Daily feed intake averages 25–30 kg.
• Processing 1 liter of milk consumes an additional 1–5 liters of water.
• India produced 240 million tonnes of milk in 2024 (equivalent to ~970 liters per tonne).

Sheep and Goat Meat
 

• Water per 1 kg sheep meat: ~10,000 liters
• Water per 1 kg goat meat: ~5,500 liters
• Sheep and goats consume 3.5–4 kg of green fodder and 3–6 liters of water daily.
• India produced 1.113 million tonnes of sheep meat and 1.55 million tonnes of goat meat in 2024.

Buffalo Meat
 

• Water per 1 kg buffalo meat: ~15,000 liters
• Buffaloes consume 25–30 kg of feed and 30–80 liters of water daily.
• India produced 2.1 million tonnes of buffalo meat in 2024.

The Way Forward

The heavy water footprint of animal products poses a major challenge in a country where groundwater levels are already at alarming lows in states like Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, western Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka. Scientists are working on developing more nutrient-rich feed to reduce consumption volumes while ensuring optimal animal growth and productivity.

Adopting water-efficient feed crops, improving farm management practices, and promoting awareness about the hidden water cost of animal products could help ease pressure on India’s water resources.

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Courtesy: Nasir Hussain, New Delhi, Sep - Kisan Tak

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