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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jas.2009-1785v1 87/10/3335    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Lardy, G. P. Articles by Bauer, M. L. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lardy, G. P. Articles by Bauer, M. L.

Effects of increasing field pea (Pisum sativum) level in high-concentrate diets on growth performance and carcass traits in finishing steers and heifers

G. P. Lardy^*,1, B. A. Loken^*, V. L. Anderson, D. M. Larson^*,2, K. R. Maddock-Carlin^*, B. R. Ilse, R. Maddock^*, J. L. Leupp^*, R. Clark, J. A. Paterson and M. L. Bauer^*

^* Department of Animal Sciences, NDSU Dept. 7630, North Dakota State University, PO Box 6050, Fargo 58108-6050; and Carrington Research Extension Center, North Dakota State University, Carrington 58421; and Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Montana State University, PO Box 172900, Bozeman 59717-2900

¹ Corresponding author: Gregory.Lardy{at}ndsu.edu

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 0.17); however, dietary NE_g 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 0.09) to respond quadratically as field pea increased. No differences (P 0.17) were observed for HCW, LM area, or KPH. In Exp. 2, DMI, ADG, G:F, dietary NE_g, HCW, marbling, LM area, 12th-rib fat, and USDA yield grade (YG) were unaffected by dietary field pea inclusion (P 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 0.38) DMI, ADG, G:F, dietary NE_g, 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.

Key Words: beef cattle • carcass trait • field pea • finishing • growth • net energy