Water Footprint Assessment of Beef and Dairy Cattle Production in the Regional Unit of Karditsa, Greece

One of the most important factors affecting water resources is livestock development. This study focuses on estimating the water demands of beef and dairy cattle breeding, as well as the corresponding products, in the Regional Unit of Karditsa (Greece), while simultaneously assessing the pollution caused by this activity in water bodies. The impacts are measured using the water footprint (WF) approach across its three dimensions (green, blue, and gray), considering the quantity of feed and water utilized by each animal type and the production system applied in the research area. For beef production, the intensive system shows a total WF of 90,535 m3/ton (gray 88%, green 9%, blue 3%), while the semi-intensive system totals 82,027 m3/ton (gray 84%, green 12%, blue 4%). For dairy cows, the total WF reaches 2750 m3/year/ton of milk (gray 81%, green 14%, blue 5%). Gray WF was estimated based on pollutant loads from livestock waste using concentration thresholds for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P), providing a clearer view of water quality degradation linked to livestock activities. These findings can guide regional directorates in addressing key water-related pressures from livestock production.