280 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



Table I. — Analysis of the food value of field peas and corn. 



Digestible nutrients in loo 

 pounds. 

 Carbo- 

 Feed Protein hydrates Fat 



Per cent Per cent Per cent 



Peas 16.8 51.8 0.7 



Corn 7.9 66.y 4.3 



The proper place for the field pea in feeding operations 

 seems to be in a mixture with oats, barley, corn, or wheat bran, 

 being used as a carrier of protein in the northern feeders' ration 

 much as cottonseed meal is used in the South. 



It is always well to grind the peas before feeding, as the 

 seeds of most varieties are very hard, and except when fed to 

 hogs good results can not be expected unless they are ground be- 

 fore being given to the animal. Besides being used in the ordi- 

 nary feed lot, a great many of the peas, especially in the eastern 

 part of the United States and in southern California, are used 

 by pigeon fanciers in the production of squabs and also by poul- 

 tr3maen as a constituent of their chicken feeds. A small, round 

 pea, similar to the Golden Vine, is preferred in such cases. The 

 color of the pea is not a matter of importance in feeding it to 

 pigeons or chickens. In the Lake region, however, where the 

 production of field pea for stock purposes is combined with the 

 canning industry, the growers prefer a green or white seeded 

 pea, in order that the crop may be available for table use when- 

 ever canning factories will pay a higher price for the commodity 

 than will the stockman or grain dealer. 



Field Peas as a Hay Crop. 



The field pea is commonly grown in Pennsylvania and New 

 York for hay, and the larger part of the crop in the Southern 

 States is also used in this manner. When grown for hay the 

 field pea is almost always sown in a mixture with oats or some 

 other small grain. As stated before, these mixtures with grain 



