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Latitud, LATU's R&D foundation, launches an inter-institutional project for sustainable water management in extensive livestock farming
The main goal of this initiative is to improve water quality for livestock, protecting animal and human health, and contributing to the sustainability and productivity of the agricultural sector. The project will address this challenge from a "One Health" perspective, considering the interconnectedness of environmental, animal, and human health.
In agricultural activities, water reservoirs used for animal drinking water can be affected by various contaminants resulting from the use of veterinary medicines and agrochemicals, or the presence of parasites such as Cryptosporidium and cyanobacteria.
With this in mind, implementing sustainable water management practices not only protects livestock health but also ensures food safety and preserves the environment.
Latitud seeks to provide solutions to this problem by leading a new project financed by the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INIA) through the Agricultural Technology Promotion Fund (FPTA). This effort involves collaboration with the faculties of Agronomy, Science, and Veterinary Medicine at the University of the Republic (UDELAR), the Clemente Estable Biological Research Institute (IIBCE), and the Technological University (UTEC).
The initiative has four core objectives:
- Promote practices that ensure water quality in livestock farming, guaranteeing a healthy environment for the animals.
- Evaluate and monitor the presence of contaminants that affect both livestock health and food safety, conducting studies on genotoxicity, emerging contaminants, and the Cryptosporidium sp parasite using innovative methodologies.
- Implement effective remediation technologies to restore and maintain the quality of water and aquatic ecosystems on extensive livestock farms.
- Foster a collaborative approach between agricultural producers and researchers for the sustainable management of water resources.
In the first stage, focused on contaminant identification, aquatic drones and remote sensors will be used to monitor water in drinking troughs, subterranean wells, and reservoirs (tajamares). Simultaneously, samples will be analyzed using tandem and time-of-flight mass spectrometry, a technique not currently available in Uruguay.
Next, the occurrence and effects of contaminants in animal bodily fluids will be studied. This will be followed by biomonitoring using fish and bioassays (a type of test using specific organisms that react in a predictable way to environmental conditions, allowing the inference of a substance's effects on the environment) to assess the environmental impact of the identified contaminants.
With the information generated, the risks associated with the exposure of cattle and sheep to contaminated water will be evaluated, considering both animal health and the effects on the aquatic ecosystem.
Following this series of characterizations, the project will move to a technology application stage where reservoir restoration methodologies (using ultrasound) and drinking trough remediation (using coagulants and other methods) will be implemented and evaluated to foster sustainable water management.
The final step involves creating an accessible communication process to facilitate the reception of accurate information about identified hazards and associated risks for all stakeholders (including producers, communities, and regulatory bodies). This process includes the dissemination of recommendations for proper management and the implementation of preventive measures.
The research will be conducted across four extensive fields, ensuring greater statistical robustness at the national level.
A key highlight of the project is the inter-institutional collaboration, which is essential for the project's success and its impact on improving water management in Uruguayan extensive livestock farming.
