# Cottonseed meal vs soybean meal spread Cottonseed meal versus Soybean meal: the raw $/ton spread, on a dry-matter basis, and on cost per pound of protein and energy _Data through Aug 17, 2026 · source last checked Aug 27, 2026 · page revised Aug 27, 2026_ > Cottonseed meal is $38/ton under Soybean meal on a raw as-fed basis, but on the nutrient that matters here Soybean meal is the cheaper source of a pound of crude protein this week. A price screen, not a feeding recommendation. Cottonseed meal prices $38 per ton cheaper than soybean meal on a raw basis, but soybean meal is the cheaper protein source. Cottonseed meal costs $0.365 per pound of crude protein versus $0.355 for soybean meal. The feeds tie on energy at $0.231 per pound of TDN. ## The numbers | Measure | Cottonseed meal | Soybean meal | Difference (Cottonseed meal − Soybean meal) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Price, $/ton as-fed | $300 | $338 | -$38 | | Price, $/ton dry matter | $333 | $379 | -$46 | | Cost per lb crude protein | $0.365 | $0.355 | +$0.011 | | Cost per lb TDN (energy) | $0.231 | $0.231 | +$0.000 | ## About Cottonseed meal vs soybean meal spread A raw $/ton spread is the starting point, not the answer. Two feeds at the same $/ton can deliver very different amounts of protein and energy per ton of dry matter, so the table above also shows each feed on a dry-matter basis and as a cost per pound of crude protein and per pound of TDN, the same math the nutrient-cost screening board runs. Basis: both are quoted fob plant, so the raw $/ton gap is a like-for-like comparison before freight. **Nutritional limits.** Cottonseed meal substitutes for soybean meal protein in mature ruminants but not freely: its free gossypol makes it risky for swine, poultry and young calves. [Oklahoma State University Extension](https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/gossypol-toxicity-in-livestock) documents gossypol toxicosis from overfeeding. Its lysine is also lower than soybean meal's. This is a price screen on one or two nutrients, not a feeding recommendation: inclusion rates, amino-acid balance, effective fiber and palatability are the nutritionist's call, not a price table's. ## About this data - Source: Derived from USDA AMS feedstuffs board prices - Series: Cottonseed meal vs soybean meal - Basis: Two feeds differenced, as-fed $/ton - Geography: National - Unit: $/ton - Calculation period: Weekly - Last observation: Aug 17, 2026 - Update frequency: Weekly --- Cite: Cottonseed meal vs soybean meal is n/a on a $/ton as-fed basis as of Aug 17, 2026 (USDA feedstuffs board). The Ration. https://the-ration.com/spread/cottonseed-meal-vs-soybean-meal Canonical URL: https://the-ration.com/spread/cottonseed-meal-vs-soybean-meal