Evaluating field peas as an energy source for growing and finishing beef cattle

Field peas were evaluated in beef growing and finishing diets in a 2-yr experiment. A total of 114 steers (initial BW = 348 kg, SD = 22 kg) in yr 1 and 114 heifers (initial BW = 249 kg, SD = 11 kg) in yr 2 were used in a 3 × 2 factorial. The first factor was grazing supplementation (0.5% BW, DM basis) with the following treatments: (1) field pea (FP); (2) blend of 70.8% corn, 24% corn condensed distillers solubles, and 5.2% urea (CB); and (3) no supplement (CON). The second factor was presence or absence of 20% FP in finishing diets. Growing phase ADG was greatest for CB, followed by FP and CON (0.99, 0.87, and 0.69±0.08 kg for CB, FP, and CON, respectively; P < 0.01). There were no interactions between growing and finishing treatment, and presence of FP in the finishing diet did not affect finishing performance or carcass characteristics (P ≥ 0.20). However, grazing supplementation influenced finishing performance; CON had the greatest finishing ADG, whereas CB and FP did not differ (1.93, 1.79, and 1.79±0.06 kg for CON, CB, and FP, respectively; P < 0.01). The CON treatment was also most efficient, followed by CB and FP, which were not different (0.145, 0.135, 0.138 ± 0.014, for CON, CB, and FP, respectively; P = 0.01). Field peas may be fed to growing and finishing cattle if appropriately priced. However, reduced ADG during the growing phase may result in compensatory gain in the finishing phase.