Simulating the Feasibility of Dual Use Switchgrass on Cow-Calf Operations

Michael Popp, Amanda J. Ashworth and Charles P. West
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Amanda J. Ashworth: Poultry Production and Product Safety Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Charles P. West: Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-10

Abstract: Meeting biorefineries’ demands for lignocellulosic biomass will require sourcing feedstock 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 biomass. 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 $1500 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 production, while supplying bioenergy feedstock and reducing climate-forcing gases.

Keywords: switchgrass; net greenhouse gas emissions; hay quality; cow-calf production (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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