It takes 73% less water for cattle to grow one kilo of beef than it did 35 years ago
Water use
It takes 73% less water for cattle to gain 1kg than it did in 1985.
Current research shows that it takes 400 litres of water to produce 1kg of an animal's liveweight, down 18% over the most recent five years and 73% lower than 1985.
This data came from the 2023 Life Cycle Analysis conducted by Integrity Ag (as commissioned by Meat & Livestock Australia, 2024 under project 'Trends Analysis of the Australian Beef Industry 2020'), showing a decrease of 18% in the five years to 2015.
This is a calculation of the blue water footprint and includes cropping and pasture irrigation, livestock drinking water, and associated supply losses. This is a 73% decrease in consumption than in the five years to 1985.
