Mike
Well-known member
Field peas equal barley or corn in 07.10.2007
…and the beef scores higher for taste and tenderness
By Larry Thomas – Ranchers have long known field pea roughage can winter cows but now some North Dakota research says this pulse crop works just as well in feedlot rations, and at times can outperform barley or corn. As a bonus, it improves the beef.
Ruminant nutritionist Vern Anderson has been studying field peas for 8 years now at the Carrington Research Extension Center of North Dakota State University.
Initially Anderson and his team documented production and performance benefits to field peas in creep rations and as supplement for wintering cows and bulls. Many growing rations for bulls in North Dakota now contain 20% to 30% lightly rolled field peas because of the muscle development and growth rates they produce.
From there Anderson moved to the feedlot.
Some trials compared the intake and performance of calves fed at arrival on pea-based or barley/canola meal concentrate. A typical trial fed steers a 42-day receiving ration of 60% concentrate made from 50% barley and 50% field peas or 100% field peas compared to a more normal barley and canola meal mix. The peas were lightly rolled or cracked as Anderson had already discovered rolled peas were more easily digested than ground or whole peas.
At 3.5 lb./head/day steers on the straight pea concentrate had significantly higher gain and dry matter intake than steers on the half and half mix and the barley check ration.
"Now, with 60% of a ration as concentrate and 100% of that concentrate being field peas, well that's a lot of peas. The good news is the calves ate it and digested it, grew and did not have any problems. So peas are very palatable and they worked," says Anderson.
In another trial 172 ranch-fresh calves went on a receiving diet comparing field peas, lentils or chickpeas in the concentrate to a corn and canola meal ration. The cattle on the pulse crop rations ate significantly more dry matter and had significantly higher average daily gains. All were around 4 lb./head/day.
"One of the most interesting things we observed was when we kept track of these animals for 7 weeks after they came off that receiving ration. The calves that were on the pulse-based concentrate kept gaining more than the calves that were on the corn/canola based ration," says Anderson.
In other work, Anderson found higher dry matter intakes and daily gains with field peas in growing rations compared to a standard barley/canola meal growing ration.
When Anderson's team fed cattle on 77% corn, barley and field pea finishing diets for 120 days they found no significant difference in dry matter intakes or average daily gains, although the pea-fed animals had a slight edge in both categories. Feed efficiency was the same, as well. "But we saw marbling scores go from 369 to 395 and the percent Choice grading carcasses from 25% to 44% in those animals fed field peas compared to the cattle on the barley/canola meal," Anderson notes.
In a separate heifer finishing trial he looked at the influence of processing. He fed a ration containing 28% peas for 120 days where the peas were whole (9,300 microns), rolled (3,000 microns) or ground (700 microns). The heifers on the rolled field peas ate the most at 29 lb./head/day and posted the highest gains of 3.4 lb./day. Feed efficiency rates were the same on all 3 rations.
Tender and tasty beef
Urged on by anecdotal stories that cattle finished on field pea rations produce juicier, more tender beef Anderson and meat researchers at NDSU set about trying to document this benefit.
In one study 117 yearling heifers were fed finishing rations containing 0, 10%, 20% or 30% field peas in a corn-based diet for 76 days. There were no discernable effects on carcass traits but when a panel of expert tasters ate the beef, the field pea-finished steaks proved superior on juiciness and tenderness. It seems the effect on juiciness plateaus at about 20% field pea while it kept trending upwards to the 30% level on tenderness ratings.
"If we can improve the juiciness and tenderness of beef by feeding peas even at a modest 10% rate for as little as 2 months and get this kind of impact, well this is truly exciting stuff," Anderson says.
In a separate trial with high quality black Angus steers there appeared to be no impact at all on the eating quality of pea-finished beef. Anderson wasn't that surprised.
"We believe there's a biological threshold to tenderness where the cattle can only get to their genetic potential for tenderness, no farther. But can field pea rations be an insurance policy to make sure all cattle are tender regardless of their genetic potential?"
He can't answer that question yet but may in a year or 2 after further research. Anderson is currently hunting up feeder cattle with a genetic background for tough beef. He'll feed them field peas and get the tasters to judge the difference between tough cattle fed peas against tough cattle fed barley and/or corn-based finishing ration.
"I do believe that if we can continue to show consistent increases in tenderness and juiciness in pea-fed beef we'll have a product here that the beef industry will have to sit up and take notice of. The impacts on value-adding could be huge," he says.
Penciling peas
North Dakota ruminant nutritionist Vern Anderson says field peas are the most exciting grain source he has worked with in his 30 years in research. And more to the point, he believes peas have what it takes to convince hard-nosed beef producers, as well.
"Peas outstrip the nutritive value, especially on protein, with equal energy to corn and superior energy to barley. Even now we know field peas have the ability to be worked into a wide variety of beef cattle rations, from the ranch right through to the feedlot finishing phase."
For protein, only canola meal and corn distillers grains rate higher. But in the end it all comes down to money.
Anderson has calculated the equivalent value of field peas at various rates of corn and canola meal.
In February when U.S.corn was $3.50 to $3.75 per bushel and canola meal about $200/ton you could price out the same ration for protein and energy with $5.63/bu. peas.
"And if corn goes back to $2.50 and canola meal say to $150, we're looking at $4.23 field peas. So if you have the opportunity to buy peas or pea chips at a processing plant at these kind of prices you could have a bargain on your hands," he adds.
Peas come in many forms from green table peas to yellow high quality down to feed peas and splits or brokens. For cattle feed any type will do, price is the deciding factor.
In western Canada in February green peas ran $5.21/bu, yellows $5.08 and feed peas $3.85 but they could be had for $3.25 in Alberta to $3.68 in Saskatchewan. Natural splits were trading for $3.17/bu. or $116.47/tonne and top feed peas at $135.2 while spot barley was priced at $115 — $142/tonne out of Edmonton and $140 — $159/tonne at Calgary. Peas run 36.7440 bu./tonne.
At those prices peas could work in cattle rations.
Of course supply is still a factor in many places. But in time as producers become more aware of the uses of peas for livestock Anderson believes the supplies will grow to fill the demand.
…and the beef scores higher for taste and tenderness
By Larry Thomas – Ranchers have long known field pea roughage can winter cows but now some North Dakota research says this pulse crop works just as well in feedlot rations, and at times can outperform barley or corn. As a bonus, it improves the beef.
Ruminant nutritionist Vern Anderson has been studying field peas for 8 years now at the Carrington Research Extension Center of North Dakota State University.
Initially Anderson and his team documented production and performance benefits to field peas in creep rations and as supplement for wintering cows and bulls. Many growing rations for bulls in North Dakota now contain 20% to 30% lightly rolled field peas because of the muscle development and growth rates they produce.
From there Anderson moved to the feedlot.
Some trials compared the intake and performance of calves fed at arrival on pea-based or barley/canola meal concentrate. A typical trial fed steers a 42-day receiving ration of 60% concentrate made from 50% barley and 50% field peas or 100% field peas compared to a more normal barley and canola meal mix. The peas were lightly rolled or cracked as Anderson had already discovered rolled peas were more easily digested than ground or whole peas.
At 3.5 lb./head/day steers on the straight pea concentrate had significantly higher gain and dry matter intake than steers on the half and half mix and the barley check ration.
"Now, with 60% of a ration as concentrate and 100% of that concentrate being field peas, well that's a lot of peas. The good news is the calves ate it and digested it, grew and did not have any problems. So peas are very palatable and they worked," says Anderson.
In another trial 172 ranch-fresh calves went on a receiving diet comparing field peas, lentils or chickpeas in the concentrate to a corn and canola meal ration. The cattle on the pulse crop rations ate significantly more dry matter and had significantly higher average daily gains. All were around 4 lb./head/day.
"One of the most interesting things we observed was when we kept track of these animals for 7 weeks after they came off that receiving ration. The calves that were on the pulse-based concentrate kept gaining more than the calves that were on the corn/canola based ration," says Anderson.
In other work, Anderson found higher dry matter intakes and daily gains with field peas in growing rations compared to a standard barley/canola meal growing ration.
When Anderson's team fed cattle on 77% corn, barley and field pea finishing diets for 120 days they found no significant difference in dry matter intakes or average daily gains, although the pea-fed animals had a slight edge in both categories. Feed efficiency was the same, as well. "But we saw marbling scores go from 369 to 395 and the percent Choice grading carcasses from 25% to 44% in those animals fed field peas compared to the cattle on the barley/canola meal," Anderson notes.
In a separate heifer finishing trial he looked at the influence of processing. He fed a ration containing 28% peas for 120 days where the peas were whole (9,300 microns), rolled (3,000 microns) or ground (700 microns). The heifers on the rolled field peas ate the most at 29 lb./head/day and posted the highest gains of 3.4 lb./day. Feed efficiency rates were the same on all 3 rations.
Tender and tasty beef
Urged on by anecdotal stories that cattle finished on field pea rations produce juicier, more tender beef Anderson and meat researchers at NDSU set about trying to document this benefit.
In one study 117 yearling heifers were fed finishing rations containing 0, 10%, 20% or 30% field peas in a corn-based diet for 76 days. There were no discernable effects on carcass traits but when a panel of expert tasters ate the beef, the field pea-finished steaks proved superior on juiciness and tenderness. It seems the effect on juiciness plateaus at about 20% field pea while it kept trending upwards to the 30% level on tenderness ratings.
"If we can improve the juiciness and tenderness of beef by feeding peas even at a modest 10% rate for as little as 2 months and get this kind of impact, well this is truly exciting stuff," Anderson says.
In a separate trial with high quality black Angus steers there appeared to be no impact at all on the eating quality of pea-finished beef. Anderson wasn't that surprised.
"We believe there's a biological threshold to tenderness where the cattle can only get to their genetic potential for tenderness, no farther. But can field pea rations be an insurance policy to make sure all cattle are tender regardless of their genetic potential?"
He can't answer that question yet but may in a year or 2 after further research. Anderson is currently hunting up feeder cattle with a genetic background for tough beef. He'll feed them field peas and get the tasters to judge the difference between tough cattle fed peas against tough cattle fed barley and/or corn-based finishing ration.
"I do believe that if we can continue to show consistent increases in tenderness and juiciness in pea-fed beef we'll have a product here that the beef industry will have to sit up and take notice of. The impacts on value-adding could be huge," he says.
Penciling peas
North Dakota ruminant nutritionist Vern Anderson says field peas are the most exciting grain source he has worked with in his 30 years in research. And more to the point, he believes peas have what it takes to convince hard-nosed beef producers, as well.
"Peas outstrip the nutritive value, especially on protein, with equal energy to corn and superior energy to barley. Even now we know field peas have the ability to be worked into a wide variety of beef cattle rations, from the ranch right through to the feedlot finishing phase."
For protein, only canola meal and corn distillers grains rate higher. But in the end it all comes down to money.
Anderson has calculated the equivalent value of field peas at various rates of corn and canola meal.
In February when U.S.corn was $3.50 to $3.75 per bushel and canola meal about $200/ton you could price out the same ration for protein and energy with $5.63/bu. peas.
"And if corn goes back to $2.50 and canola meal say to $150, we're looking at $4.23 field peas. So if you have the opportunity to buy peas or pea chips at a processing plant at these kind of prices you could have a bargain on your hands," he adds.
Peas come in many forms from green table peas to yellow high quality down to feed peas and splits or brokens. For cattle feed any type will do, price is the deciding factor.
In western Canada in February green peas ran $5.21/bu, yellows $5.08 and feed peas $3.85 but they could be had for $3.25 in Alberta to $3.68 in Saskatchewan. Natural splits were trading for $3.17/bu. or $116.47/tonne and top feed peas at $135.2 while spot barley was priced at $115 — $142/tonne out of Edmonton and $140 — $159/tonne at Calgary. Peas run 36.7440 bu./tonne.
At those prices peas could work in cattle rations.
Of course supply is still a factor in many places. But in time as producers become more aware of the uses of peas for livestock Anderson believes the supplies will grow to fill the demand.