Uses of Cotton Seed After Ginning

Compost

• In a 2009 article in "Southwest Farm Press," Gerry Kasberg of the Birome Gin Co. explained that he uses a large aerobic composter that rotates the cotton-gin byproduct four times every hour. He added nitrogen to the mix and kept the temperature inside the barrel between 131 and 155 degrees Fahrenheit the first 24 hours. In three days, he had a batch of 15 yards of soil amendment homeowners can use in home gardening and farming.

Oil and Absorbent Products

• Cottonseeds have short pieces of lint attached to them. After ginning, they are separated from the lint, which becomes absorbent products, such as paper, swabs and furniture padding. The oil is extracted from the seeds for use in cooking. According to the National Cottonseed Products Association, cottonseed oil is rich in antioxidants like tocopherols, and it is low in saturated fats.

Cattle Feed

• While cotton-gin byproduct isn't the most nutritious cattle feed, it does contain 4 percent to 8 percent of crude protein and is high in crude fiber, which is beneficial to cattle. Ranchers drop it straight from the gin, without any additional processing, on pastures where beef cows and winter stock feed. But in commercial feedlots, they also use a blend of gin byproduct and alfalfa, corn or other feed stuff as cattle ration.