I was asked to address you on marketing whole cottonseed because of my involvement in two organizations. I am chairman of the board of Cottonseed, Inc. Cottonseed, Inc. is a business which buys, stores, and hopefully sells whole cottonseed to be used as cattle feed. The second organization which led me here is The American Cottonseed Association, of which I am president.

Though involved in these organizations, I am also a cotton producer and ginner from Courtland, Alabama. I have managed gins since 1975, having never set foot in a cotton gin prior to then. This void of any previous experience allowed me to approach my business with no preconceptions. I believe this lack of any bias is one of the reasons we are involved in the whole cottonseed marketing business today.

Typically a dairyman will try to build a feed ration that provides protein, energy, fiber, and fat. Lets take a quick look at how cottonseed meets the dairy cowls nutritional needs. Cottonseed is rated at approximately 23% protein which is high among unprocessed feed products, and the oil in the meats provides a very high quality fat which is essential to a balanced dairy ration. Whole cottonseed also provides an excellent source of fiber in the form of lint and hulls. Cottonseed provides protein, energy, fat, and fiber at combined levels competitive with any other unprocessed feed ingredient. Studies have shown that the introduction of cottonseed in a dairy ration increases milk production and also boosts milk butterfat content for which the dairyman is paid a premium. Cottonseed also has a very high rating of "totally digestible nutrients." It is no wonder why each cottonseed is considered a nearly perfect feed product to be supplemented with what in the past were thought of as more conventional feed ingredients.