Dairy farms look into water conservation - KSWO, Lawton, OK- Wichita Falls, TX: News, Weather, Sports. ABC, 24/7, Telemundo -

Amarillo, TX - Dairy farms continue to thrive in our area but drought conditions are posing some concerns over supply and demand.

They are seeing a higher demand for feed and crops and are relying more on water to grow them. The dairy industry depends on silage to feed its cattle, which is roughly two-thirds water, making it hard and expensive to ship in. Dairy farms are currently tying to focus on producing the silage, locally, while still conserving water.

"Well, you really can't afford to ship in silage. You really just can't afford to pay to ship in a bunch of water like that, so it has to be grown locally." Dr. Brent Bean with Texas Agrilife said. "They're having to look at those plans and figure out how, how can they produce that silage locally with the water they have."

Many dairy farms are looking into using more drought-resistant crops, like sorghum, instead of corn in an effort to use less water. Some are also considering no longer double-cropping their land and using more efficient, low-pressure watering methods.