INFLUENCE OF FIELD-PEA RATIONS ON THE QUALITY 
OF PORK 1 
By J. E. Nordby, Assistant Animal Husbandman, Department of Animal Hus¬ 
bandry, and Robt. S. Snyder, Associate Chemist, Department of Agricultural 
Chemistry, University of Idaho 
INTRODUCTION 
More and more during recent years, field peas have been replacing 
summer fallow in Idaho. It seems quite probable that they will be 
grown to increasing extent as their value in rotation systems becomes 
more generally appreciated. 
Two types of feeding field peas have come into general use among 
farmers in the State: First, “hogging-off 77 ; and, second, feeding in the 
dry lot, especially cull peas that are not suitable for seed. In work 
done at the Idaho station 2 during the last eight years, an average of 
406 pounds of pork have been produced per acre by the “ hogging-off 77 
method, while in the dry lot less than 400 pounds of peas have been 
required per 100 pounds of gain. In some cases unthreshed pea 
vines have been harvested and used for either wintering or finishing 
hogs. 
As a result of their general use, many questions have come to this 
station relative to the value of peas with respect to their specific 
influence on the quality of pork produced when fed alone, or in 
combination with standard concentrates. A few complaints have 
been made that hogs finished on peas were discriminated against 
at market because “they lacked the firmness which characterizes 
hogs fed on corn or barley and that they killed out soft carcasses/ 7 
Reference is made to this problem by Shaw 3 who concludes that 
“peas are superior to corn as a food for pigs at any time prior to the 
fattening season; hence they may be fed to swine more freely, but in 
no instance should they form the sole ration before the finishing 
period begins. 1 During the fattening period they are unexcellea 
when fed as the sole grain food. They promote growth, while they 
fatten in excellent form, and they furnish a sweet, firm, and excellent 
quality of pork/ 77 Day 4 refers to pea meal as “a valuable food/ 7 
but says it “ should never be fed alone. * * * Peas are noted for 
the excellent quality of bacon which they produce/ 7 Toole and 
Knox 5 include peas as a desirable forage for developing bacon hogs, 
and Grisdale 6 says “peas are ‘undoubtedly of very high value as a 
feed for the production of good, firm bacon, and for young pigs and 
breeding stock of all classes at practically all times. They should, 
i Received for publication Feb. 5,1925; issued December, 1925. Published with approval of the director as 
E aper No. 31 of the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station. The writers are indebted to C. W. Hickman, 
ead of the Department of Animal Husbandry, and Ray E. Neidig, head of the Department of Agricultural 
Chemistry, University of Idaho, for valuable suggestions in the planning and carrying out of the work. 
2 Gongweb, R. E. field peas for pork production. Idaho Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 125, 8 p., 1921. 
Unpublished data. 
3 Coburn, F. D. swine in America, p. 356. New York and London. 1909. 
4 Day, G. E. bacon production. Ontario Agr. Col. and Exp. Farm Bui. 129, 23 p., illus. 1903. 
5 Toole W. f and Knox, R. G. breeding, growing and finishing “the bacon hog.” Ontario Agr. 
Col. and Exp. Farm Bui. 299, 10 p., illus. 1923. 
* Coburn, F. D. Op. cit. p. 357. 
Journal of Agricultural Research, Vol. XXXI, No. 12 
Washington, D. C. Dec. 15,1925 
Key No. Idaho-9 
78383—261*-6 
(1173) 
