Simulating the feasibility of dual use switchgrass on cow-calf operations

Simple item page
dc.creatorPopp, Michael P.
dc.creatorAshworth, Amanda J.
dc.creatorWest, Charles P. (TTU)
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-11T18:49:15Z
dc.date.available2023-05-11T18:49:15Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.description© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. cc-by
dc.description.abstractMeeting biorefineries’ demands for lignocellulosic biomass will require sourcing feed-stock without affecting the food or animal-feed supply. A decision-aid model can assess the dual use of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) to maintain animal production while providing biomass. We simulated a mixed-farm operation with 156 ha of hay+pasture, 96 beef cows (Bos spp.), and poultry (Gallus gallus L.) production wherein the hay land was converted to switchgrass for dual use as biomass and forage. The cow-calf simulator tracked changes in forage and cattle production, economic returns, and net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Dual use of switchgrass consisted of harvesting the first cutting (mid-June) for hay and the second cutting (October-November) for bio-mass. Dual use required a modest increase in fertilizer application and supplementing cows with corn grain to meet nutritional requirements. Converting hay land to dual-use switchgrass produced 122 Mg of switchgrass, reduced net GHG emissions for autumn-and spring-calving operations by 3.4 and 3.6%, respectively, and increased the farm profit by approximately $1,500 when priced at $50 Mg−1 regardless of the calving season. This simulation provided evidence that conversion of hay lands (in a beef cow-calf and poultry farm) to dual-use switchgrass can avoid displacing food pro-duction, while supplying bioenergy feedstock and reducing climate-forcing gases.
dc.identifier.citationPopp, M.P., Ashworth, A.J., & West, C.P.. 2021. Simulating the feasibility of dual use switchgrass on cow-calf operations. Energies, 14(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/en14092422
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.3390/en14092422
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2346/93467
dc.language.isoeng
dc.subjectCow-calf production
dc.subjectHay quality
dc.subjectNet greenhouse gas emissions
dc.subjectSwitchgrass
dc.titleSimulating the feasibility of dual use switchgrass on cow-calf operations
dc.typeArticle

Files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Main article with TTU Libraries cover page.pdf
Size:
415.04 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

Collections

Faculty Research