Value Of Feed Peas To Swine Diets

Traditionally, hog production has been concentrated in the Corn Belt region of the United States. During the past decade, North Carolina has become an important hog production state and now ranks second only to Iowa. More recently, expansion in the U.S. hog industry has been in other non-traditional hog production states in the west/west central regions of the United States. In the current study, field peas are considered as a least-cost hog ration ingredient in three U.S. markets. The results of a linear programming analysis suggest that peas can be an attractive alternative as a feed ingredient in hog diets. Even at relatively high prices, peas can be part of the least-cost diet replacing feedstuffs such as corn, barley, and soybean meal. Except at high pea prices or under low-cost periods for alternative feedstuffs, peas constituted up to 39 percent of a least-cost diet for young pigs including a methionine supplement. Peas constituted 27 to 36 percent of the diet for hogs in the 190 to 260 pound growth stage. It was not necessary to add methionine to a diet for finishing hogs that includes peas. The high lysine content of peas is beneficial. It had to be added to the diet when peas were not included.