GIN TRASH PROVES ECONOMICAL ADDITION TO FEEDLOT FARE
LUBBOCK -- Agricultural economics researchers at Texas Tech University have gathered evidence that one farmer's trash can be another rancher's treasure. Investigators now face the task of convincing feedlot owners to literally buy into the results.
Emmett Elam, Ph.D., associate professor, department of agricultural and applied economics, recently completed a study to evaluate the demand for cotton gin waste, or gin trash, as a roughage ingredient to cattle feed at feedlots in the Texas High Plains. Elam's study shows that use of gin trash in cattle feed can reduce the cost of the feed, or ration, as much as 5 percent.
Cotton gin waste is the organic remains of the cotton plant discarded during the ginning process. It is comprised mainly of cotton burs, leaves, stems, twigs and soil particles. Later in the ginning process, finer particles such as dust, chips of burs, immature seeds and small leaves are added to the trash.
A 1991 study indicated the highest value use of gin trash is for cattle feed. Other uses include soil amendment and composting.
From a cattle feeder's perspective, says Elam, gin trash has good nutritional characteristics compared to other roughages. Coupled with its low price, gin trash should be a preferred ingredient in cattle rations.
"Nevertheless, feedlot operators routinely include other roughage ingredients in their rations, such as alfalfa and cottonseed hulls," he said. Elam explained that for 1991-1997, alfalfa averaged $117 per ton while cottonseed hulls averaged $70 per ton on the Texas High Plains. The cotton gin waste has higher levels of protein, net energy of maintenance and gain, calcium, phosphorus and potassium than cottonseed hulls, but lower levels of these nutritional characteristics than alfalfa. However, at $20 per ton, gin trash should be a preferred roughage ingredient, said Elam.
Elam's research points out that if feedlots are not using cotton gin waste in their rations, the study results suggest that cattle feeding returns are not being maximized. Suggested future research would be to further examine the economic advantages of feeding gin trash to cattle.
"The question is why is the price of cotton gin waste so low?" Elam said. According to Elam, the economics of supply and demand provides an answer. A number of feedlots do not use gin trash in their rations, notwithstanding its low price and favorable nutritional characteristics. It is estimated that only one-third of feedlots use gin trash. Of the third that use it, only about half of the roughage requirement is being met with gin trash. The economic implication of a weak demand is a low price, he explained.
Cotton ginners and producers are, of course, interested in receiving additional revenue from cotton gin waste. A possible way to achieve a higher price for gin trash is to encourage livestock demand for the roughage, Elam said. This could be accomplished by providing information to nutritionists, feedlot operators and their customers, concerning the economic advantages of including cotton gin waste in the cattle ration.
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Contact:
Emmett Elam, Ph.D., associate professor, department of agricultural and applied economics, (806) 742-0277 ext. 243, or [email protected].
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