Good or bad? Been reading some about it, I read that if you stop it can mess up deer health wise...

As a supplemental feed, it's fine. They're not going to make a living eating cottonseed. My only issue is palatibility. We fed it by the truckload to sheep in the 2000s with no issue. This year, we bought a few bags from the local feedstore and despite a bare pasture, they did not eat it well at all. I'd get some to test with before you buy a lot.

I frankly think it's a fad.

There's more palatable protein supplemental feeds out there that will do a better job.

A certain Phd in wildlife biology, that Dallas Safari Club hires to put on a seminar every year, when they can hold a convention, says the same.

And please let me add...

LOL.

Please elaborate. We have had good success with cottonseed but always looking.

It’s not really a fad. Cottonseed is a very good source of protein, and at one time was so cheap it made a very good alternative to the bagged feeds. It is not a complete feed, serving mainly as a protein booster and relying on the deers’ foraging to supply most of the necessary minerals and other dietary components. But now that it is running $350/ton, it is not really a good option. In the 00s, we paid as little as $105/ton delivered from Concho to Mills county.

I think it would be interesting to get a small pellet maker mill and the grinders to bust the size of corn, cotton seed and "whatever else" you think that would be beneficial to a deer's nutrition. A lot of work, MONEY and time would be spent real quick, a home size pellet mill is not cheap nor the grinder/hammer mill when your a talking about making a ton at a time.

I still remember an old guy I leased from circa 1980-1984 that fed his cattle cotton seed during the winter months and told me it was a poor mans way of keep his cattle alive since he couldn't afford to feed hay & pellets full time. It was likely $50 a ton back then though. I have a friend that would buy about 2 tons straight from a cotton gin a few year ago for $125/ton and that would last him about a year. He installed plywood side boards on a 16' trailer and cover with a tarp to haul out to his Junction lease. I need to ask him what he is paying these days. He bought in Granger and Giddings area if memory serves me.

I'm looking to buy WCS in bulk, live in Round Rock but I know I will need to drive to get it. Anyone know gins that are still selling it? Seems most of the 'close' ones have become micro-brewery's, restaurant, or purely ag supply houses.....

Scroll down to Texas:
https://www.cottonboard.org/sites/454/uploaded/files/GinCodeList.pdf

Thank You

24+% protein, 17% fat and 20% fiber with 95% digestible nutrition is a fad...

I wish your opinion would get traction, because I'm tired of paying $300 a ton for it.

woj, my Dad used to own a cotton gin close to you, Georgetown. Of course he sold it in the 60s and i think the City Council building sits there now just a few blocks off the square. Sorry, I know no help but I couldnt resist.

if some of you think CS is a fad you are sadly mistaken - we started it some years ago - added a bunch of weight to our deer and has been a great secondary supplemental feed to our protein feeding - where do you guys get your information?


Ok post up this PHDs studies and facts - would love to see what he bases his statements on??

Listed 3 in Runnels county, used to be 3 in Miles, 2 in Rowena,1 in Lowake and at least 2 in Ballinger. Another 2 in Winters, 1 in Norton, and a whole bunch of other ones. There is a new one that will come online in the fall at Mereta, as the Miles and Mereta cooperatives consolidate and finish a mega gin.

So many new uses for cotton seed, that the cost of cotton seed probably will go higher, not lower. The pelletized versions of protein can contain so much trash and still be a viable protein source, that it is cheaper by the ton. You could make your own pellets, you need a mill, a pellet maker and the ingredients and a place to put it all together. .

We get ours in Snook.

Guarantee you this PhD still talks about making deer sterile too.

OP it’s a great supplement once you get them on it and it’s why the best places in S Tx and Mexico feed it. There is nothing better for post rut conditioning

I would be very surprised if any gins are still selling any. Ours around here Wall, Miles, and Mereta have been sold out for quite a while

The whole cottonseed provides for sterility is such a shameless joke when speaking of native deer browsing on natural forbs and benefitting from cottonseed as a supplement. At different times during the off season, cottonseed is preferred and then at other times, protein is hit harder. Sometimes it's hard to foresee and we just let them lil' deer choose for themselves. in South TX, the soil is mineral rich, that's why there were so many vegetables grown there before hunting. That's why the cows get fat on the grass. Cottonseed does make a lot of sense. I knows of some ranches who supplement with cottonseed only.

The new Lone Star Coop Gin in Mereta opened for business this is news article, It is a HUGE place.
https://www.gosanangelo.com/story/n...ar-mereta-west-central-texas/4411178001/

It’s nice but it doesn’t increase the crops in the area but will just replace Miles and Meretas current gins which already operate as Lonestar COOP. That’s the group I buy from and they have been well sold out for a while. Cotton crops were half of what they were last year at best

I started first grade with the gin manager's dad back in the 50's.

Haha that’s awesome. There’s some good people out there