Five ruminally cannulated steers were used to evaluate the effects of supplementation (no supplement, field peas, or dry rolled corn; 0.43% BW) with high and low quality forages on diet digestibility and rumen volatile fatty acid concentrations. Th e inclusion of field peas increased dry matter intake and organic matter digestibility over dry rolled corn and unsupplemented steers. Propionate proportions were less for field peas and control treatments than dry rolled corn, while acetate proportions increased in field peas, and control treatments as compared to dry rolled corn. As a result, acetate to propionate ratio was reduced when dry rolled corn was supplemented. Inclusion of field peas alters the volatile fatty acid concentrations, increases dry matter intake, and improves organic matter digestibility when supplemented to forage fed steers

Gramkow, Jana L.

Greenwell, Hannah L.

Jenkins, Karla

Jolly-Breithaupt, Melissa L., Breithaupt

MacDonald, Jim C.

English

UNL | Libraries

University of Nebraska - Lincoln
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports Animal Science Department
2017
Effects of Field Pea Supplementation on
Digestibility and Rumen Volatile Fatty Acid
Concentration of Diets Containing High and Low
Quality Forages
Hannah L. Greenwell
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, hannah.greenwell@unl.edu
Jana L. Gramkow
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Melissa L. Jolly-Breithaupt Breithaupt
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, melissa_jolly_brethaupt@unl.edu
Jim C. MacDonald
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, jmacdonald2@unl.edu
Karla Jenkins
University of Nebraska - Lincoln, kjenkins2@unl.edu
Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/animalscinbcr
Part of the Large or Food Animal and Equine Medicine Commons, Meat Science Commons, and
the Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health Commons
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Animal Science Department at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has
been accepted for inclusion in Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
Greenwell, Hannah L.; Gramkow, Jana L.; Jolly-Breithaupt, Melissa L. Breithaupt; MacDonald, Jim C.; and Jenkins, Karla, "Effects of
Field Pea Supplementation on Digestibility and Rumen Volatile Fatty Acid Concentration of Diets Containing High and Low Quality
Forages" (2017). Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports. 942.
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/animalscinbcr/942
38 · 2017 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report
©  Th e Board Regents of the University of 
Nebraska. All rights reserved.
1600 hours. During collection, rumen fl uid 
samples and fecal grab samples were taken 
at four time points including 0700, 1100, 
1500, and 1900 hours.
Hourly fecal samples were composited 
by day by steer on a wet basis, freeze dried, 
and ground. Daily composites were ground 
and composited on a week basis by steer 
and analyzed for NDF, ADF, OM, and 
percent titanium. Feed ingredients samples 
were taken each period, dried, ground, and 
analyzed for NDF, ADF, OM, and CP.
In an eff ort to analyze supplement eff ect 
on fi ber digestibility, in- situ bag proce-
dures were used. Both HQ and LQ were 
weighed into the bags that were then sealed 
and incubated in the rumen for 24 hours. 
Bags were removed, rinsed, washed with 
NDF solution in an Ankom Fiber Analyz-
er, dried, and weighed back to determine 
remaining NDF aft er incubation.
All data were analyzed using the 
MIXED procedure of SAS and probabilities 
were considered signifi cant if P ≤ 0.10. Steer 
was the experimental unit with supplement 
type, forage type and their interaction as 
fi xed eff ects. Steer and collection period 
were random eff ects.
Results
Digestibility
Th ere were no interactions between 
forage quality and supplement type on 
digestibility. Dry matter intake (DMI), 
forage DMI, DM digestibility (DMD), OM 
intake (OMI), OM digestibility (OMD), 
and 24 hour in- situ NDF digestibility 
(NDFD) were greater with HQ forage than 
in LQ forage (Table 1). Th e FP supplement 
increased DMI, DMD, OMI, OMD, and 
NDFD compared to steers receiving DRC 
or CON; DRC and CON did not diff er in 
intake, DMD, OMI or OMD. Forage DMI 
tended to be least for DRC while FP tended 
to increase forage DMI, but was similar to 
CON (Table 2). Th e in- situ 24 hour NDFD 
is an indicator of the associative eff ects 
on fi ber digestion that might occur when 
favoring propionate. Th e impacts of fi eld 
pea supplementation on volatile fatty acid 
(VFA) concentration are not well estab-
lished. Th erefore, one objective of this study 
was to determine how fi eld pea supplemen-
tation alters VFA concentrations and diet 
digestibility relative to corn when supple-
mented to high and low quality forages.
Procedure
Five ruminally fi stulated steers (Initial 
BW = 444 ± 44 lb) were utilized in a 5 × 6 
Latin rectangle metabolism study to evalu-
ate the eff ects of supplementation on total 
tract digestibility of diets containing either 
high or low quality forages. Treatments 
were set up as a 2 × 3 factorial (forage 
quality × supplement type). Th e fi rst factor 
was high quality forage (HQ; 50% alfalfa, 
50% sorghum silage, DM basis) or low 
quality forage (LQ; 50% brome grass hay, 
50% wheat straw, DM basis). Th e second 
factor was one of three supplements: Un-
supplemented control (CON), Dry- rolled 
Corn (DRC), or Ground Field Peas (FP). 
Th ose steers being supplemented DRC 
were dosed with a urea solution to ensure 
that they were not defi cient in rumen 
degradable protein in comparison to those 
being supplemented with FP. Both FP and 
DRC supplements were coated in molasses 
to increase palatability. Forage was off ered 
ad libitum through the entire study and 
steers were supplemented at 0.43% of BW 
(DM basis). Th e non- supplemented cattle 
on the LQ forage received an adequate 
supply of RDP in their diet. Steers were 
weighed at the beginning of each period 
to adjust supplement amount accordingly. 
Supplement was fed at 0800 hours, steers 
were given two hours to consume supple-
ment. Any supplement not consumed was 
inserted into the rumen cannula. Forage 
was then fed at 1000 hours. Periods lasted 
14 days with a 9 day adaptation period 
and 4 day collection period. Animals were 
housed in individual slatted fl oor stalls. 
Steers were ruminally dosed continuously 
with 5 g of TiO2 twice daily at 0800 and 
Hannah L. Greenwell
Jana L. Gramkow
Melissa L. Jolly- Breithaupt
Jim C. MacDonald
Karla H. Jenkins
Summary with Implications
Five ruminally cannulated steers were 
used to evaluate the eff ects of supplementa-
tion (no supplement, fi eld peas, or dry rolled 
corn; 0.43% BW) with high and low quality 
forages on diet digestibility and rumen vola-
tile fatty acid concentrations. Th e inclusion 
of fi eld peas increased dry matter intake and 
organic matter digestibility over dry rolled 
corn and unsupplemented steers. Propionate 
proportions were less for fi eld peas and con-
trol treatments than dry rolled corn, while 
acetate proportions increased in fi eld peas, 
and control treatments as compared to dry 
rolled corn. As a result, acetate to propionate 
ratio was reduced when dry rolled corn was 
supplemented. Inclusion of fi eld peas alters 
the volatile fatty acid concentrations, increas-
es dry matter intake, and improves organic 
matter digestibility when supplemented to 
forage fed steers.
Introduction
With recent increases in availability of 
fi eld peas as a livestock feed, a renewed 
interest has developed in their use in beef 
production. More in- depth determination 
of digestion kinetics would improve the 
prediction of the value of fi eld peas as both 
a grazing supplement and a component in 
fi nishing diets. Previous research has shown 
that feeding fi eld peas in beef cattle diets 
up to 30% of the diet (DM basis) produces 
similar results to starch grains, such as 
corn. Corn has a negative impact on the 
digestion of fi ber due to the starch content. 
However, corn supplementation also alters 
the proportion of acetate to propionate 
 Eff ects of Field Pea Supplementation on Digestibility and 
Rumen Volatile Fatty Acid Concentration of Diets Containing 
High and Low Quality Forages
2017 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report · 39 
proportions were greatest in the DRC sup-
plemented cattle with CON and FP being 
similar. Th e A:P ratio was decreased by all 
supplement types with DRC and FP being 
similar (Table 2).
Conclusion
Supplementing FP in forage diets of 
both low and high quality increased DMI, 
DMD, OMI, OMD, and 24 hour NDFD. 
Th ese alterations from the CON and DRC 
could be associated with the lower starch 
level of FP as compared to DRC. VFA 
concentrations with fi eld pea supplementa-
tion remain similar to the DRC treatment 
as opposed to having similar results to the 
CON treatments. Field peas did not appear 
to have the same negative associative eff ects 
on digestibility as DRC, but also did not 
produce VFA concentrations similar to 
DRC. Th e changes in VFA concentrations 
for FP could potentially be explained due to 
the shift s in microbial populations toward 
starch digesting bacteria which favors the 
production of propionate.
Hannah Greenwell, graduate student
Jana Gramkow, graduate student
Melissa Jolly- Breithaupt, graduate student
Karla Jenkins, associate professor, animal 
science, Panhandle Research and Extension 
Center, Scottsbluff 
Jim MacDonald, associate professor, animal 
science, Lincoln
with the acetate to propionate ratio (A:P). 
Acetate relative proportions increased in the 
LQ while propionate relative proportions 
increased in the HQ. Th e changes in relative 
proportions shift ed the A:P in favor of the 
propionate and produced lower values in the 
HQ diets than the LQ diets (Table 1).
Acetate and propionate proportions, 
as well as the A:P ratio were aff ected by 
supplement type. Acetate proportions were 
greatest in the CON and FP, which were 
similar and greater than DRC. Propionate 
other feedstuff s are added to the diet such 
as supplements. While the level of supple-
mentation was low (0.43% BW), there was 
still a diff erence in forage NDF digestibility 
between the DRC and FP supplements, 
with FP having greater fi ber digestibility 
over the DRC supplemented cattle.
Rumen VFA Concentrations
Forage quality of the diet altered acetate 
and propionate relative proportions along 
Table 1. Diet digestibility and concentration of rumen VFA’s in steers due to forage quality
Forage Trt1 High Quality Low Quality SEM P- value
DMI (lb) 13.50 10.37 1.07 <0.01
Forage DMI (lb) 12.13 9.00 1.07 <0.01
DMD (%) 63.09 49.09 1.65 <0.01
OMI (lb) 12.24 9.24 0.95 <0.01
OMD (%) 64.18 50.10 1.61 <0.01
NDFI (lb) 7.06 7.00 7.06 0.82
In- situ NDFD2 (%) 38.59 33.81 0.85 <0.01
Total, mMol 124.49 126.81 9.39 0.86
Acetate, % 64.1 72.26 0.58 <0.01
Propionate, % 18.48 17.89 0.22 0.06
A:P 3.61 4.09 0.05 <0.01
abcd Within a row, means without a common superscript diff er.
1High Quality Forage Diet: 50/50 blend of sorghum silage and alfalfa hay. Low Quality Forage Diet: 50/50 blend of brome grass 
hay and wheat straw. Water was added to the Low Quality treatment to ensure equal amount of dry matter across both forage 
treatments.
2NDF digestibility: measured at 24 hours, in- situ.
Table 2. Diet digestibility of steers due to supplement type
Supplement Trt1 Control Corn Peas SEM P- value
DMI (lb) 10.56a 11.72a 13.50b 1.07 0.01
Forage DMI (lb) 10.57 9.67 11.45 1.12 0.14
DMD (%) 53.05a 55.13a 60.10b 2.01 0.06
OMI (lb) 9.42a 10.60a 12.20b 1.00 <0.01
OMD (%) 53.81a 56.07a 61.54b 1.61 0.03
NDFI (lb) 6.81 6.59 7.62 0.68 0.14
In- situ NDFD2 (%) 36.09ab 34.48a 38.03b 1.06 0.09
Total, mMol 128.56 120.12 128.27 11.55 0.84
Acetate, % 68.82b 66.39a 69.38b 0.72 <0.01
Propionate, % 17.96a 18.93b 17.72a 0.27 <0.01
A:P 3.97b 3.58a 3.99b 0.05 <0.01
abcd Within a row, means without a common superscript diff er.
1Control received no supplement. Corn received dry rolled corn coated in molasses. Peas received ground peas coated in 
molasses.
2NDF digestibility: measured at 24 hours, in- situ.


Effects of Field Pea Supplementation on Digestibility and Rumen Volatile Fatty Acid Concentration of Diets Containing High and Low Quality Forages

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - LincolnDigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - LincolnNebraska Beef Cattle Reports Animal Science Department2017Effects of Field Pea Supplementation onDigestibility and Rumen Volatile Fatty AcidConcentration of Diets Containing High and LowQuality ForagesHannah L. GreenwellUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln, hannah.greenwell@unl.eduJana L. GramkowUniversity of Nebraska - LincolnMelissa L. Jolly-Breithaupt BreithauptUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln, melissa_jolly_brethaupt@unl.eduJim C. MacDonaldUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln, jmacdonald2@unl.eduKarla JenkinsUniversity of Nebraska - Lincoln, kjenkins2@unl.eduFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/animalscinbcrPart of the Large or Food Animal and Equine Medicine Commons, Meat Science Commons, andthe Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Animal Science Department at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln.Greenwell, Hannah L.; Gramkow, Jana L.; Jolly-Breithaupt, Melissa L. Breithaupt; MacDonald, Jim C.; and Jenkins, Karla, "Effects ofField Pea Supplementation on Digestibility and Rumen Volatile Fatty Acid Concentration of Diets Containing High and Low QualityForages" (2017). Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports. 942.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/animalscinbcr/94238 · 2017 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report©  Th e Board Regents of the University of Nebraska. All rights reserved.1600 hours. During collection, rumen fl uid samples and fecal grab samples were taken at four time points including 0700, 1100, 1500, and 1900 hours.Hourly fecal samples were composited by day by steer on a wet basis, freeze dried, and ground. Daily composites were ground and composited on a week basis by steer and analyzed for NDF, ADF, OM, and percent titanium. Feed ingredients samples were taken each period, dried, ground, and analyzed for NDF, ADF, OM, and CP.In an eff ort to analyze supplement eff ect on fi ber digestibility, in- situ bag proce-dures were used. Both HQ and LQ were weighed into the bags that were then sealed and incubated in the rumen for 24 hours. Bags were removed, rinsed, washed with NDF solution in an Ankom Fiber Analyz-er, dried, and weighed back to determine remaining NDF aft er incubation.All data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS and probabilities were considered signifi cant if P ≤ 0.10. Steer was the experimental unit with supplement type, forage type and their interaction as fi xed eff ects. Steer and collection period were random eff ects.ResultsDigestibilityTh ere were no interactions between forage quality and supplement type on digestibility. Dry matter intake (DMI), forage DMI, DM digestibility (DMD), OM intake (OMI), OM digestibility (OMD), and 24 hour in- situ NDF digestibility (NDFD) were greater with HQ forage than in LQ forage (Table 1). Th e FP supplement increased DMI, DMD, OMI, OMD, and NDFD compared to steers receiving DRC or CON; DRC and CON did not diff er in intake, DMD, OMI or OMD. Forage DMI tended to be least for DRC while FP tended to increase forage DMI, but was similar to CON (Table 2). Th e in- situ 24 hour NDFD is an indicator of the associative eff ects on fi ber digestion that might occur when favoring propionate. Th e impacts of fi eld pea supplementation on volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration are not well estab-lished. Th erefore, one objective of this study was to determine how fi eld pea supplemen-tation alters VFA concentrations and diet digestibility relative to corn when supple-mented to high and low quality forages.ProcedureFive ruminally fi stulated steers (Initial BW = 444 ± 44 lb) were utilized in a 5 × 6 Latin rectangle metabolism study to evalu-ate the eff ects of supplementation on total tract digestibility of diets containing either high or low quality forages. Treatments were set up as a 2 × 3 factorial (forage quality × supplement type). Th e fi rst factor was high quality forage (HQ; 50% alfalfa, 50% sorghum silage, DM basis) or low quality forage (LQ; 50% brome grass hay, 50% wheat straw, DM basis). Th e second factor was one of three supplements: Un-supplemented control (CON), Dry- rolled Corn (DRC), or Ground Field Peas (FP). Th ose steers being supplemented DRC were dosed with a urea solution to ensure that they were not defi cient in rumen degradable protein in comparison to those being supplemented with FP. Both FP and DRC supplements were coated in molasses to increase palatability. Forage was off ered ad libitum through the entire study and steers were supplemented at 0.43% of BW (DM basis). Th e non- supplemented cattle on the LQ forage received an adequate supply of RDP in their diet. Steers were weighed at the beginning of each period to adjust supplement amount accordingly. Supplement was fed at 0800 hours, steers were given two hours to consume supple-ment. Any supplement not consumed was inserted into the rumen cannula. Forage was then fed at 1000 hours. Periods lasted 14 days with a 9 day adaptation period and 4 day collection period. Animals were housed in individual slatted fl oor stalls. Steers were ruminally dosed continuously with 5 g of TiO2 twice daily at 0800 and Hannah L. GreenwellJana L. GramkowMelissa L. Jolly- BreithauptJim C. MacDonaldKarla H. JenkinsSummary with ImplicationsFive ruminally cannulated steers were used to evaluate the eff ects of supplementa-tion (no supplement, fi eld peas, or dry rolled corn; 0.43% BW) with high and low quality forages on diet digestibility and rumen vola-tile fatty acid concentrations. Th e inclusion of fi eld peas increased dry matter intake and organic matter digestibility over dry rolled corn and unsupplemented steers. Propionate proportions were less for fi eld peas and con-trol treatments than dry rolled corn, while acetate proportions increased in fi eld peas, and control treatments as compared to dry rolled corn. As a result, acetate to propionate ratio was reduced when dry rolled corn was supplemented. Inclusion of fi eld peas alters the volatile fatty acid concentrations, increas-es dry matter intake, and improves organic matter digestibility when supplemented to forage fed steers.IntroductionWith recent increases in availability of fi eld peas as a livestock feed, a renewed interest has developed in their use in beef production. More in- depth determination of digestion kinetics would improve the prediction of the value of fi eld peas as both a grazing supplement and a component in fi nishing diets. Previous research has shown that feeding fi eld peas in beef cattle diets up to 30% of the diet (DM basis) produces similar results to starch grains, such as corn. Corn has a negative impact on the digestion of fi ber due to the starch content. However, corn supplementation also alters the proportion of acetate to propionate  Eff ects of Field Pea Supplementation on Digestibility and Rumen Volatile Fatty Acid Concentration of Diets Containing High and Low Quality Forages2017 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report · 39 proportions were greatest in the DRC sup-plemented cattle with CON and FP being similar. Th e A:P ratio was decreased by all supplement types with DRC and FP being similar (Table 2).ConclusionSupplementing FP in forage diets of both low and high quality increased DMI, DMD, OMI, OMD, and 24 hour NDFD. Th ese alterations from the CON and DRC could be associated with the lower starch level of FP as compared to DRC. VFA concentrations with fi eld pea supplementa-tion remain similar to the DRC treatment as opposed to having similar results to the CON treatments. Field peas did not appear to have the same negative associative eff ects on digestibility as DRC, but also did not produce VFA concentrations similar to DRC. Th e changes in VFA concentrations for FP could potentially be explained due to the shift s in microbial populations toward starch digesting bacteria which favors the production of propionate.Hannah Greenwell, graduate studentJana Gramkow, graduate studentMelissa Jolly- Breithaupt, graduate studentKarla Jenkins, associate professor, animal science, Panhandle Research and Extension Center, Scottsbluff Jim MacDonald, associate professor, animal science, Lincolnwith the acetate to propionate ratio (A:P). Acetate relative proportions increased in the LQ while propionate relative proportions increased in the HQ. Th e changes in relative proportions shift ed the A:P in favor of the propionate and produced lower values in the HQ diets than the LQ diets (Table 1).Acetate and propionate proportions, as well as the A:P ratio were aff ected by supplement type. Acetate proportions were greatest in the CON and FP, which were similar and greater than DRC. Propionate other feedstuff s are added to the diet such as supplements. While the level of supple-mentation was low (0.43% BW), there was still a diff erence in forage NDF digestibility between the DRC and FP supplements, with FP having greater fi ber digestibility over the DRC supplemented cattle.Rumen VFA ConcentrationsForage quality of the diet altered acetate and propionate relative proportions along Table 1. Diet digestibility and concentration of rumen VFA’s in steers due to forage qualityForage Trt1 High Quality Low Quality SEM P- valueDMI (lb) 13.50 10.37 1.07 <0.01Forage DMI (lb) 12.13 9.00 1.07 <0.01DMD (%) 63.09 49.09 1.65 <0.01OMI (lb) 12.24 9.24 0.95 <0.01OMD (%) 64.18 50.10 1.61 <0.01NDFI (lb) 7.06 7.00 7.06 0.82In- situ NDFD2 (%) 38.59 33.81 0.85 <0.01Total, mMol 124.49 126.81 9.39 0.86Acetate, % 64.1 72.26 0.58 <0.01Propionate, % 18.48 17.89 0.22 0.06A:P 3.61 4.09 0.05 <0.01abcd Within a row, means without a common superscript diff er.1High Quality Forage Diet: 50/50 blend of sorghum silage and alfalfa hay. Low Quality Forage Diet: 50/50 blend of brome grass hay and wheat straw. Water was added to the Low Quality treatment to ensure equal amount of dry matter across both forage treatments.2NDF digestibility: measured at 24 hours, in- situ.Table 2. Diet digestibility of steers due to supplement typeSupplement Trt1 Control Corn Peas SEM P- valueDMI (lb) 10.56a 11.72a 13.50b 1.07 0.01Forage DMI (lb) 10.57 9.67 11.45 1.12 0.14DMD (%) 53.05a 55.13a 60.10b 2.01 0.06OMI (lb) 9.42a 10.60a 12.20b 1.00 <0.01OMD (%) 53.81a 56.07a 61.54b 1.61 0.03NDFI (lb) 6.81 6.59 7.62 0.68 0.14In- situ NDFD2 (%) 36.09ab 34.48a 38.03b 1.06 0.09Total, mMol 128.56 120.12 128.27 11.55 0.84Acetate, % 68.82b 66.39a 69.38b 0.72 <0.01Propionate, % 17.96a 18.93b 17.72a 0.27 <0.01A:P 3.97b 3.58a 3.99b 0.05 <0.01abcd Within a row, means without a common superscript diff er.1Control received no supplement. Corn received dry rolled corn coated in molasses. Peas received ground peas coated in molasses.2NDF digestibility: measured at 24 hours, in- situ.

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Effects of Field Pea Supplementation on Digestibility and Rumen Volatile Fatty Acid Concentration of Diets Containing High and Low Quality Forages

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