Effects of increasing field pea (Pisum sativum) level in high-concentrate diets on growth performance and carcass traits in finishing steers and heifers
2009
Lardy, G.P. | Loken, B.A. | Anderson, V.L. | Larson, D.M. | Maddock-Carlin, K.R. | Ilse, B.R. | Maddock, R. | Leupp, J.L. | Clark, R. | Paterson, J.A. | Bauer, M.L.
Three experiments were conducted to determine the effect of increasing field pea level in high-concentrate finishing cattle diets on ADG, DMI, G:F, and carcass traits, and to estimate the NE of field pea. In Exp. 1, 118 yearling heifers (417.9 ± 2.4 kg initial BW) were blocked by initial BW and assigned randomly to 1 of 4 treatments (0, 10, 20, or 30% dry-rolled field pea, DM basis; 4 pens/treatment). In Exp. 2, 143 beef steers (433 ± 19 kg initial BW) were blocked by BW and assigned randomly to 1 of 4 treatments (0, 10, 20, or 30% dry-rolled field pea, DM basis; 6 pens/treatment). In Exp. 3, 80 beef steers (372.4 ± 0.4 kg initial BW) were assigned randomly to 1 of 4 treatments (0, 18, 27, or 36% cracked field pea, DM basis; 4 pens/treatment). Field pea replaced a portion of the grain (dry-rolled and high moisture corn, dry-rolled corn, and barley and barley sprouts; Exp. 1, 2, and 3, respectively) and protein supplement. In Exp. 1, field pea inclusion decreased DMI linearly (P = 0.03), whereas ADG and G:F were not affected by treatment (P greater-than-or-equal 0.17); however, dietary NEg increased quadratically with increasing field pea level (P = 0.04). Fat thickness responded quadratically (P = 0.008) where heifers fed 20% field pea had greatest fat thickness and 30% field pea inclusion the least. Marbling tended (P [less-than or equal to] 0.09) to respond quadratically as field pea increased. No differences (P greater-than-or-equal 0.17) were observed for HCW, LM area, or KPH. In Exp. 2, DMI, ADG, G:F, dietary NEg, HCW, marbling, LM area, 12th-rib fat, and USDA yield grade (YG) were unaffected by dietary field pea inclusion (P greater-than-or-equal 0.12). In Exp. 3, marbling score increased linearly (P = 0.05), fat thickness increased quadratically (P = 0.01), and YG tended to increase (P = 0.07) quadratically as field pea increased. Field pea inclusion did not affect (P greater-than-or-equal 0.38) DMI, ADG, G:F, dietary NEg, HCW, or LM area. These results indicate that field pea can be included successfully into rations at levels up to 36% of DM without negatively affecting growth performance and most carcass characteristics of finishing beef cattle; however, effects on marbling score were variable. These data also indicate the energy content of field peas is similar to cereal grains, such as corn and barley, when included in high-concentrate finishing diets.
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