Blue and gray water footprint of some Hungarian milking parlors

Abstract

Abstract Unpredictable weather conditions urge us to find sustainable water management solutions. This research gives examples for dairy farmers on how to assess water use, calculate water footprint (WF), and find water-saving opportunities. Three large-scale Hungarian dairy farms were selected to assess water use and WF based on characteristics that answer to this research's hypothesis: there is a correlation between milking technology and WF. The WF of feeding was excluded from this research. In a farm using a parallel milking system (Farmpl), the amount of service water, and thus the footprint of blue water, was the highest, more than twice at the polygon (Farmpoly) or robotic (Farmrob) milking parlor service water. The milking robot was less advantageous in water use than polygon milking. The gray water footprint was the most unfavorable for Farmrob. If blue, green, and gray WFs are clarified within a farm, it will be easier to investigate the water uses of dairy farms and assess the ratio of each water category. These data can serve as the basis for dairy farmers dealing with Holstein Friesian cattle for assessment of their water management. The novelty of this research is that no study has investigated the relationship between milking technology and WF.