Water footprint and economic water productivity of cattle dairy farms in semi-arid agro-ecological region of Mascara-Algeria

Houaria Yerou; Benamar Belgherbi; Abdelkader Homrani

Article Details

Water footprint and economic water productivity of cattle dairy farms in semi-arid agro-ecological region of Mascara-Algeria

Authors:

Houaria Yerou | Benamar Belgherbi | Abdelkader Homrani

Publisher:

Université d'El Tarf

Journal:

المجلة الجزائرية للعلوم Vol.6 Issue 12, pp.49-54

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2020

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001558619

pISSN:

2992-2178

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Our contribution takes place in a context of water scarcity in a semi-arid area of western Algeria, in order to evaluate the factors influencing water productivity in dairy cattle breeding. A follow-up during the agricultural season 2019-2020 of the practices within dairy barns belonging to two types of breeding systems (intensive and extensive) located in the region of Mascara. The evaluation indicators concern the volumetric use of water for forage biomass depending on the water source (rainfall, irrigation), the share of virtual water contained in extra-agricultural feed, the endogenous and exogenous feeding of the dairy herd and the milk yield achieved. Analysis of data indicates that productivity of fodder in dry matter differ between extensive and intensive systems with values of the order of 12520 to 17188 kg/ha (p<0.05) respectively. The milk yield per cow did not exceed an average value of 3680 kg (rang 3240 to 4120 kg). The mean gross margin per kilogram of milk was low, not exceeding 0.17 €.  The average WF and EWP of milk recorded are 2.05 m3/kg milk and 0.07 € per m3 in semi-arid region, respectively. Green and blue WF represents 57% and 18% of the total WF of milk, respectively and the virtual water with 25%. The WF of milk is dominated by feed production with 82%. Conversely, drinking and servicing water contributed 5% and 11% to the total WF of milk production, respectively. Necessary actions must be taken along the milk production process in order to improve the productivity of water for forage production and the milk which depends in large part on annual rainfall and to a lesser extent on groundwater.

Article Details

Water footprint and economic water productivity of cattle dairy farms in semi-arid agro-ecological region of Mascara-Algeria

Authors:

Houaria Yerou | Benamar Belgherbi | Abdelkader Homrani

Publisher:

Université d'El Tarf

Journal:

المجلة الجزائرية للعلوم Vol.6 Issue 12, pp.49-54

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2020

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001558619

pISSN:

2992-2178

Dairy farms

Milk yield

Water productivity

Water footprint- semi-arid

Issues

Article Details

Water footprint and economic water productivity of cattle dairy farms in semi-arid agro-ecological region of Mascara-Algeria

Authors: Houaria Yerou | Benamar Belgherbi | Abdelkader Homrani

Publisher: Université d'El Tarf

Journal: المجلة الجزائرية للعلوم Vol.6 Issue 12, pp.49-54

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 12/2020

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001558619

pISSN: 2992-2178

Dairy farms

Milk yield

Water productivity

Water footprint- semi-arid

Issues

Authors:

Houaria Yerou | Benamar Belgherbi | Abdelkader Homrani

Publisher:

Université d'El Tarf

Journal:

المجلة الجزائرية للعلوم Vol.6 Issue 12, pp.49-54

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2020

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001558619

pISSN:

2992-2178