Effects of feeding cottonseed, corn gluten feed or pigeon peas on performance of beef heifers and diet digestibility by beef steers.

Summary

Pigeon pea fits low-input agriculture, requiring no N fertilizer, tolerating acidic soils, having excellent drought tolerance and yielding 2500-4500 lb/acre from no-till planting from May to August in actual field tests.Yearling beef heifers were fed supplements including whole cotton seed(WCS),corn gluten feed (CGF), pigeon peas (PP), corn/soybean meal as a control(C/SBM; 70% corn, 30% SBM) and free-choice corn silage in a feedlot. The ADG for heifers tended to be higher for pigeon peas (C/SBM: 0.93; WCS: 0.79; CGF: 0.89; PP: 1.01 kg). However, DMI/gain tended to be higher for corn gluten feed compared with other supplements (C/SBM: 5.9; WCS: 6.31; CGF: 6.68; PP: 5.61). Pigeon peas may be a sustainable grain crop that can be fed to growing beef cattle in Georgia and the Southeastern United states.

Situation

Pigeon peas are grown in many tropical countries to be used as a human food. Many varieties exist, but research has focused on low-tannin, combine-friendly selections. Pigeon pea fits low-input agriculture, requiring no N fertilizer, tolerating acidic soils, having excellent drought tolerance and yielding 2500-4500 lb/acre from no-till planting from May to August in actual field tests. Velvet bean cattipillar is one pest that can devastate pea yields, attacking blooms in late autumn. Pigeon peas contain 21-24% crude protein and only 2% fat, and they are highly digestible and supply high quality protein giving them great potential as a supplemental feed for beef cattle.

Response

Exp.1: Yearling beef heifers were fed supplements including whole cotton seed [WCS; 1.36 kg/d; 92.6% DM, 22.5% CP, 18.1% crude fat], corn gluten feed [CGF; 1.59 kg/d; 88.2% DM, 22.1% CP], pigeon peas [PP; 1.59 kg/d; 88.9% DM, 21.5% CP], corn/soybean meal as a control [(70% corn, 30% SBM) C/SBM; 1.59 kg/d; 89.9% DM, 30.8% CP], and free-choice corn silage [28.6% DM, 8.3% CP, 39.1% NDF] in feedlot. Supplements contained Rumensin (200 mg/animal daily) in both experiments. Heifers (n=56) were of Breed Type 1 (BT1, Angus=19, Angus X P. Hereford= 8) or Breed Type 2 (BT2, Brangus=13, Braford= 16). Heifers were ranked by BW (initial BW=249.27 ± 23.72 kg) within BT, and randomly assigned to dietary treatments for 57d. Initial and final BW were means of consecutive daily unshrunk BW. Exp.2: Yearling beef steers were fed the same supplements (C/SBM: 2.00 kg/d; WCS: 2.30 kg/d; CGF: 2.30 kg/d; PP: 2.00 kg/d) as in Exp.1, and free-choice bermudagrass hay [92.5% DM, 12.4% CP, 76.8% NDF]. Steers (n=28) were of Breed Type 1 (BT1, Angus=7, AngusX=8), Breed Type 2 (BT2, Angus X P. Hereford= 7, Simmental X=1) or Breed Type 3 (BT3, P. Hereford= 4, Hereford X=1). Steers were ranked by BW (initial BW=450.55 ± 28.21kg) within BT, and randomly assigned to dietary treatments for 14 d. Initial and final BW were means of consecutive daily unshrunk BW. Chromic oxide (10g/steer daily, d 5 to d 14) was fed as an indigestible marker and mixed with supplement.

Impact

The ADG for heifers tended to be higher for pigeon peas ( C/SBM: 0.93; WCS: 0.79; CGF: 0.89; PP: 1.01 kg). However, DMI/gain tended to be higher for corn gluten feed compared with other supplements (C/SBM: 5.9; WCS: 6.31; CGF: 6.68; PP: 5.61). Steer total DMI was higher for whole cottonseed ( C/SBM: 6.86; WCS:7.44; CGF: 6.90; PP: 7.03 kg) . Crude protein, ADF and OM digestibility were higher for corn gluten feed (81.7%, 65.3% and 79.3%). Higher digestibility, suggests greater nutrient availability of corn gluten feed for cattle. Digestibility of hay-based diets supplemented with pigeon peas by steers was equal to, or higher than, a corn/soybean meal supplement. Stocker heifers recorded increased gains for pigeon pea diets compared with diets supplemented corn/soybean meal, whole cottonseeds, and corn gluten fed with corn silage. Higher digestibility and increased average daily gains support the use of pigeon peas for supplementation. Low production costs of this high quality feed grain make pigeon peas a potentially important new crop for Georgia farmers and cattlemen.

State Issue

Agricultural Profitability and Sustainability

Details

• Year: 2007
• Geographic Scope: Multi-State/Regional
• County: Tift
• Program Areas:
  • Agriculture & Natural Resources