Field Pea Grain And Forage For Beef Cattle (AS1301)

AS1301 (Revised)Field Pea Grain and Foragefor Beef CattleV.L. Anderson, Retired Animal Scientist, NDSU Carrington Research Extension CenterG.P. Lardy, Head, NDSU Department of Animal SciencesB.R. Uffelman , Former Extension Agent, Montana State UniversityGestating beef cows grazing pea regrowth in the late fall.November 2014

Field pea (Pisum sativum) is a cool-season grainlegume that is palatable and nutritious as grainand forage. The grain is an excellent source ofcrude protein (24.3 percent, Lardy and Anderson,2009), energy (0.70 megacalorie of net energygain [Mcal NEg] per pound; National ResearchCouncil [NRC], 1996) and other nutrients for beefcattle (Table 1). This nutrient-dense grain workswell in formulations for creep feed, backgroundingand finishing rations, and for beef cows that needsupplemental protein and energy.Inclusion of field pea grain at a minimum of 10percent of the finishing diet may improve thetenderness, juiciness and flavor of beef withoutaffecting other carcass traits. Field pea grain isan excellent pellet binder and contributes to thenutrient density in formula feeds.Residue from pea grain is useful as forage forbeef cows. Field pea grown for forage is nutritiousand palatable and can be harvested as hay orhaylage. Forage pea often is grown in mixedstands with oats or barley and may have potentialfor double cropping. Cattle producers who feedfield pea grain or forage comment positively onthe palatability and have been very satisfied withanimal performance.The energy level of field pea is similar to corn.Multiple feed products with varying nutrient contentare available from field pea production (Table 2).We recommend processing (rolling or cracking)field pea grain.Table 1. Nutrients in field peas and other common feeds.ItemDry matter, %TDN, %NEg, Mcal/lbCP, %Fat, %Calcium, %Phosphorus, %Potassium, %Field *888990100% Dry-matter 600.400.712.22*NRC, 1984; **NRC, 1996.Table 2. Field pea grain, pea coproducts and pea forage nutrient analysis.ItemDry matter, %Crude protein, %TDN, %NEm, Mcal/lbNEg, Mcal/lbADF, %Calcium, %Phosphorus, %Pea GrainPea 80.09PeaScreenings9088%, Dry .28Adapted from Lardy and Anderson, 2009, “Alternative feeds for Ruminants,” AS1182, p. 21.2Field Pea Grain and Forage for Beef CattlePea HayPea StrawPea .320.22

Field Pea ProductionGrainForageNorthern states in the U.S. and the CanadianPrairie Provinces are the primary growing areasfor field pea. North Dakota and Montana are theleading states for pea production in the U.S. Fieldpea is cold-tolerant (down to 26 F) and watersparing, with yields typically equal to or greaterthan spring wheat.Specific varieties of field pea have been developedfor forage. Forage pea often is grown with a cerealgrain, forage-type oats, triticale or barley, andharvested as dry hay or haylage.Pea forage often is grown to replace winter-killedalfalfa, and has potential for double cropping ifmoisture is available. Light tillage of pea fieldsimmediately after the grain has been harvestedcan result in volunteer growth when moisture isavailable. This growth can be used for late-fallgrazing or a possible haylage harvest.Harvesting mixed field pea-oats for haylage.www.ag.ndsu.edu3

Feeding Field Pea GrainFeed IntakeEffect of Variety and ColorPalatability is critical when starting calves on feed.In creep feed, receiving or growing diets, inclusionof field pea results in greater feed intake. Duringfinishing, intake of rations with field pea was equalor less than diets without field pea, but gains werenot affected, resulting in equal or improved feedefficiency.Generally, field pea is fed in relation to nutrientcontent irrespective of color (green or yellow). Proteincontent can vary due to variety, yield, soil type,fertility, temperature, rainfall, planting date and year.Protein and EnergyField pea grain contains 0.70 Mcal/pound NEg(equal to corn) and enough protein (24.3 percentcrude protein) (NDSU Extension publicationAS1182, “Alternative Feeds for Ruminants,” www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ansci/livestoc/as1182.pdf) to beconsidered a protein supplement in many rations.Field pea protein is highly rumen-degradable,providing an excellent source of protein for rumenmicrobes. Starch in field pea grain degrades moreslowly in the rumen than wheat or barley and atabout the same rate as corn.Pelleting Binding PropertiesField pea grain is an excellent binding agentfor pelleting feeds. Pea screenings are moreeconomical than pea grain and often are used informula feeds as a binder. Pea starch may be usedto improve pellet quality as well.The optimum percentage of pea grain or coproductto add is based on multiple factors, including thepelleting properties and nutrient content of themanufactured feed. The potential range for peainclusion in pelleted commercial feeds is 5 to 50percent.4Field Pea Grain and Forage for Beef CattleProcessing Field PeaAn NDSU study that compared ground, rolled orwhole-pea grain in creep feed formulated with 40percent field pea found no effect on feed intake andgain due to processing treatment. Daily gains werenumerically greater, however, at 3.31 pounds perhead for rolled pea, compared with gains of 3.12pounds with ground pea and 3.13 pounds with wholepea grain.The same three processing treatments (ground,rolled or whole) were used in finishing diets forfeedlot heifers with field pea included at 28 percentof the diet. Dry-matter (DM) intake was similar for thethree treatments. Average daily gain was greatest at3.40 pounds for rolled peas, compared with 2.95 forwhole peas and 3.11 pounds for ground peas. Gainefficiency was similar for all treatments.The particle size of the ground peas averaged 0.03inch, rolled peas averaged 0.12 inch and whole peasaveraged 0.30 inch. However, in a Nebraska finishingstudy, no differences were observed between dryrolled or whole peas fed at 15 percent or 30 percentof the diet DM to replace corn. In an NDSU feedingstudy, steers fed growing diets gained faster withwhole pea, compared with rolled or ground.Field pea does not need to be processed when fed tocows, according to comparative research. However,processing field pea by dry rolling may allow moreeven mixing and consistent digestion in high-foragediets.

Field Pea in Creep FeedField pea nutrient density and palatability makethis grain an ideal ingredient in creep feeds. Inreplicated research studies, creep feed containingfield pea was consumed more readily and resultedin increased calf gains. The recommended inclusionrate is 20 to 40 percent of the formulation, with atarget protein content of 16 percent for the creepfeed.Commercial feed manufacturers use field peain creep feed as a binder as well as to enhancepalatability and nutrient content. Rolled pea grainor pea splits may be included in home-mixed creepfeeds.Field Pea in Receiving RationsMultiple studies with field pea included at variouslevels in postweaning receiving diets indicate equalor improved feed intake and gain with field pea inthe diet. Field pea provides protein and energy tocalves in a highly palatable grain.Research suggests including 10 to 30 percent ofdry rolled pea grain, based on protein needs fornewly weaned calves. Palatable, nutrient-densediets support improved immune systems.Backgrounding and Growing RationsBeef cattle producers use field pea grain as aprotein supplement in backgrounding or growingrations. The nutrient density of field pea allowsmodest levels of inclusion in high-forage winteringdiets. Pea also is useful in more energy-dense dietsfed for higher gain goals. Depending on the basalration, we suggest 2 to 4 pounds per head dailyto meet protein needs and provide supplementalenergy.Several research trials in multiple states haveproven the value of field pea as feed versus otherfeeds with equal or better performance forgrowing calves. Field pea can be fed in dry-haydiets or diets with silage.Finishing Diets and Carcass EffectsSeveral research studies have proven thenutritional value of field pea in high-energyfinishing diets. Most often fed with corn grain, fieldpea can be fed at any level up to the entire grainportion, according to an NDSU study. However,a more common level is field pea fed at 15 to 20percent of the diet, which generally will satisfysupplemental protein needs for finishing steersand support equal or improved gains. Somedata indicates steers eat less with field pea inthe diet but gain the same, resulting in improvedefficiency.Carcass Traits and Taste Panel ResponseSensory panel analysis indicates an increase intenderness, juiciness and taste when field peagrain is included in steer diets at a minimum of10 percent for 76 days or more prior to harvestingthe animals. “Pea-fed beef” improves consumerenjoyment of beef and may warrant furtherinvestigation or specialty market development. Nodata is available on the effect of field pea forageon carcass traits or sensory panel response.Breeding Herd SupplementationMultiple research trials support the use of fieldpea grain as a protein and energy source inproperly balanced diets for beef cows duringmid and late gestation. Seedstock producershave reported excellent growth and muscledevelopment in growing bulls fed field pea as partof the ration, but no comparative research hasbeen conducted.www.ag.ndsu.edu5

Pea ForagePea forage is an easily grown annual foragewith double-cropping potential when moisture isadequate. Pea forage can be substituted for alfalfaand supports excellent animal performance inbalanced feedlot, beef cow and lactating dairy cowdiets.More information on the proper harvesting andstorage of haylage is available in an NDSUExtension publication, “Quality Forage: Haylageand Other Fermented Forages” (AS1252) availablefrom your county agent or at http://tinyurl.com/forages1252.Pea grown for forage often is planted in mixedstands with forage barley, forage oat (Table 3) ortriticale. Adding field pea to the cereal grain forageincreases protein content. Pea forage crops canbe grazed fresh or swath-grazed in the late fall forwinter consumption. Pea grain fields lightly tilledafter grain harvest may produce a volunteer crop ifadequate moisture is available.Some studies suggest minimal differences in grainand forage-type pea harvested for hay or silage,but new varieties of forage pea hold promise forimproved feeding potential. In one recent NDSUstudy with forage at 30 percent of the diet, fieldpea harvested as hay was fed to growing steers asthe sole forage or mixed with barley hay at equalamounts. Feed intake and gains were greater fordiets containing field pea forage than the controldiet, which was based on grass hay.An even better approach is to no-till seed a covercrop into the pea residue. This will diversify themixture with the growth of volunteer peas. Anextended frost-free period in the fall allows thiscool-season crop to develop with blossoms insome years and set pods. This “cover crop” foragemay be grazed or chopped and ensiled, dependingon the time of year and other factors. It also can beleft in the field for soil organisms that can enhancenext year’s crops.Pea forage is highly palatable and is becomingmore common in cover-crop mixtures. Moreresearch is needed on growing and feeding thevariations available for pea forage production.Table 3. Forage production and nutritional value of field pea and cereal grain forages.DM YieldTons/acreHay Yield 85%DMSilage Yield60% DMProtein%TDN%RFVField .7464.08126.76Field .449.4460.58116.09Field pea/Oat2.182.545.4412.4862.94118.74*S. Zwinger, Carrington Research Extension Center Annual Report, 2011.6Field Pea Grain and Forage for Beef Cattle