Utilization Of Municipal Solid Waste Compost As Bedding Material For Cattle Feedlots

Worksheet: Relative Value of MSW Compost

Use this worksheet to estimate the value of MSW compost relative to bedding material currently in use.

 

Cornstalks example

Your example

Bedding material in use (cost calculation)   
 a. Value as organic matter in field or for other use, $/ton $10 a. __________
 b. Harvest, $/ton $5 b. __________
 c. Storage, $/ton $6 c. __________
 d. Processing, $/ton $— d. __________
e. Total cost, $/ton (add a. through d.) $21 e. __________
 f. Cost, $/lb (e. divided by 2,000) $0.0105 f. __________

Bedding material in use (summer use calculation) 		  
 g. Use rate in summer, lb/head/day 1.3 g. __________
 h. Cost, $/head/day (f. multiplied by g.) $0.01365 h. __________

MSW compost (summer use value) 		  
 i. MSW compost use rate in summer, lb/head/day 4.4 i __________
 j. MSW compost, $/lb break-even (h. divided by i.) $0.0031 j. __________
 k. MSW compost value, $/ton (j. multiplied by 2,000) $6.2 k. __________

Bedding material in use (winter use calculation) 		  
 l. Use rate in winter, lb/head/day 3.0 l. __________
 m. Cost, $/head/day (f multiplied by l) $0.0315 m. __________

MSW compost (winter use value) 		  
 n. MSW compost use rate in winter, lb/head/day 14.4 n. __________
 o. MSW compost, $/lb break-even (m. divided by n.) $0.0022 o. __________
 p. MSW compost value, $/ton (o. multiplied by 2,000) $4.40 p. __________



Instructions for Worksheet

a. Enter a value for leaving bedding source as crop residue in the field (as for cornstalks, straw, etc.) or as feed, or other uses in $ per ton.

b. Determine your harvest costs (usually between $10 to $13/acre for large bales or stacks) and enter it on this line as $ per ton.

c. Determine storage costs (building depreciation, maintenance, etc.; usually $6/ft2/year) and enter on this line as $/ton.

d. Estimate costs of processing bedding prior to delivery in pen as $/ton.

e. Add lines a through d. This is the total cost of bedding material in use, $/ton.

f. Obtain cost/lb by dividing total on line e by 2,000.

g. Estimate your current summer bedding rate in lb/head/day.

h. Calculate the bedding cost/head/day by multiplying line f by line g.

i. Enter use rate of MSW compost in summer (use 4.4 lb/head/day as a guideline).

j. Calculate the break-even value for MSW compost in $/lb in the summer by dividing line h by line i.

k. Calculate the break-even value for MSW compost in $/ton in the summer by multiplying line j by 2,000. This is the maximum price you can pay for MSW compost to substitute for the bedding material you are currently using in the summer.

l. Estimate your current winter bedding rate in lb/head/day.

m. Calculate the bedding cost/head/day by multiplying line f by line l.

n. Enter use rate of MSW compost in winter (use 14.4 lb/head/day as a guideline).

o. Calculate the break-even value for MSW compost in $/lb in the winter by dividing line m by line n.

p. Calculate the break-even value for MSW compost in $/ton in the winter by multiplying line o by 2,000. This is the maximum price you can pay for MSW compost to substitute for the bedding material you are currently using in the winter.

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