March 1, 2001

Using field peas and wheat midds in a creep feeding program can give a paying boost to nursing calves on native range, according to preliminary data from the North Dakota State University Dickinson Research Extension Center.

In a study directed by animal scientist Doug Landblom, performance of calves fed various combinations of the two feeds were evaluated against calves that grazed native range with no creep feed. The experimental creep feeds were complete fortified, pelleted diets manufactured at the Northern Crops Institute Feed Mill on the NDSU campus.

"The study suggests the field pea component in a field pea-wheat midd creep formulation should not exceed 67 percent," Landblom says. The diets were designed to be typical of rations that would have the potential for commercial application. At that level, the diets returned nearly $25 per head over the cost of the diet.

Researchers wanted to learn how much of the field peas and wheat midds calves would eat, how they would work with other feeds and what effect they would have on forage intake and digestibility, calf growth and efficiency, and economic returns to creep feeding.

"There is an ample supply of wheat midds in the region and field peas are becoming more available," Landblom says. "This study helps identify new market niches for those products and gives livestock producers more options for formulating cost effective diets." Wheat midds are a byproduct of wheat milling. More field peas are being grown in the region as producers diversify their crop rotations to boost income and break pest and disease cycles.

The experimental creep feeds used salt to limit intake levels by calves. Experimental diets were fed for 35 days without salt to familiarize the calves with creep feed, followed by a 28-day restriction period in which 8 percent salt was added to the pelleted creep feeds. Sixteen percent salt was used in the last 49 days of the study.

Three 19-percent-protein creep feed diets were developed. The first contained 33 percent peas and 67 percent wheat midds. The second contained 67 percent peas and 33 percent wheat midds. The third was 100 percent peas and no wheat midds. Calves on the first three diets were compared to a fourth group of nursing calves that also grazed native range but did not receive creep feed.

At the start of the study, and during the creep adjustment phase when no salt was fed, the calves ate roughly 2.7 pounds per head per day. In the middle 28-day phase, when the 8 percent salt restriction was applied, daily consumption per calf was nearly 4 pounds per head per day. When salt was increased to 16 percent salt and daily creep feed, intake per calf was reduced to 2.8 pounds. Over the course of the 112-day study, the average daily creep intake per calf was 3.1 pounds per day.

Creep intake across treatments was fairly consistent, ranging from 2.93 pounds per calf in the 33 percent pea group to 3.2 pounds in the 67 percent pea group. Calves receiving a 100 percent pea creep feed consumed 3 pounds per day for the entire study. Calves on the field pea-wheat midd creep diets grew faster than calves in the non-creep fed control group.

Within field pea-wheat midd treatments, average daily gain for the 33 percent and 100 percent pea creep diets were similar, but less than the 67 percent diet. Average daily gain was 2.08 pounds, 2.33 pounds, and 1.97 pounds for the 33, 67, and 100 percent field pea-wheat midd treatment groups, respectively. The control group had an average daily gain of 1.65 pounds.

Although additional study is needed to confirm results, creep gain per head, average daily creep gain, and creep feed to creep gain efficiency was best for calves receiving the experimental creep feed formulated with 67 percent peas and 33 percent wheat midds. When the protein energy source was entirely from peas in the 100 percent pea creep, intake was consistent with the other treatments, but average daily creep gain was lower resulting in a numerically greater consumption of creep feed per pound of gain.

Cost per head and return over costs were calculated using an average price slide for steer and heifer calves in southwestern North Dakota on Nov. 16. Creep diet cost per head was $22.93, $24.90, and 23.91 for the 33 percent, 67 percent, and 100 percent creep diets, respectively. Return over creep cost was $13.33 and $24.91 for the 33 percent and 67 percent field pea wheat midd diets. The 100 percent pea diet showed a loss of $4.65.

Landblom said the level of salt and forage intake as well as supplement and forage digestibility will be evaluated in future studies dealing with field peas and wheat midds.

###

Source: Doug Landblom, (701) 483-2072, dlandblo@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629,  tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu

Click here for a printable PDF version of this graphic. (5KB b&w graph)
Click here for a printable EPS version of this graphic. (76KB b&w graph)