Field peas as a feed for growing and finishing pigs. 2. Effects of substituting peas for meat meal or fish meal in conventional diets

In three experiments the effects of substituting field peas (Pisum sativum) for meat meal and/or fish meal in diets fed to growing and finishing pigs were studied. The inclusion of up to 28% peas in growing and finishing diets did not affect the digestible energy intake of pigs fed at up to 3.5 times their maintenance energy requirement. When peas comprised 53% of a diet fed to growing pigs, intake was depressed by 8%. With the exception of this diet, responses were consistent with changes in dietary lysine. It is concluded that, at up to about 40% of the diet, the lysine and energy value of field peas to growing and finishing pigs is consistent with analysed levels of these nutrients.