Growth performance and carcass characteristics of lambs fed Carnival or Forager peas1

Twenty-four black-faced lambs (24 ± 0.4 kg initial BW) were used in a randomized complete block designed experiment to determine the effects of feeding 2 varieties of field peas on growth and carcass characteristics. Lambs were blocked by BW and assigned randomly to 1 of 3 pens per block. Isonitrogenous diets included a corn-soybean meal supplement (control) or Carnival or Forager field peas (33% of dietary DM) replacing corn and soybean meal. Periods included a growing (56% roughage, 44% concentrate), transition (36% roughage, 64% concentrate), and finishing phase (14% roughage, 86% concentrate). Lambs fed Forager peas tended to have greater (P = 0.06) ADG than did lambs fed Carnival peas, with lambs fed the control diet being intermediate during the growing phase. Lambs fed Forager peas had greater (P < 0.001) ADG during the transition phase. However, G:F did not differ (P = 0.31) among treatments. Diets did not affect (P = 0.33) DMI during the finishing phase, but ADG and G:F (P = 0.06 to 0.10) tended to be greater for lambs fed Carnival peas than for lambs fed Forager peas, with control lambs being intermediate. Lambs fed Forager peas had (P < 0.02) greater overall ADG and final BW, whereas lambs fed the Carnival and control diets had similar growth performance. Carcass characteristics (P = 0.19 to 0.86) did not differ among dietary treatments. Field peas fed to lambs at 33% of dietary DM can be a substitute for feeding corn and soybean meal. However, Forager peas may not be as economically feasible as Carnival peas.