The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-01-15
FIELD PEA IS FINE
FOR CATTLE
NEW STOCK FOOD Is TO BE IN.
PRODUCED EXTENSIVELY IN
THIS STATE.

The Canadian field pea, which has
been found to be Of, great value as
food for hogs ana sheep In the san
Luis valley of southern Colorado and
other sections of the United States, is
to be planted in numerous agricultural
sections of Montana the coming
spring.
Down in Colorado the field peas are
matured and while yet green the hogs
are turned into field and are fat
tened Sheep are turned into the
same field, after the hogs, and as they
are very close feeders, they will fat
ten off the same field which the hogs
have just been through.
For fall market this method is in
use on many of the large farms there
and many tons of the peas and straw
are also stacked and fed during the
winter months, to both sheep and
hogs.
T. A. SnidoW, manager of the Sni-
dow Sheep company, states that his
company will plant large acreage in
field peas the coming spring, and a
number of ranchers who are interested
in the hog and sheep business in the
valley, will also put in experimental
crops.
Professor Alfred Atkinson, agrono-
mist of the agricultural experiment
station at Bozeman, has just issued
a bulletin on the Canadian field pea,
in which it is stated that the expert
ence of the Montana experiment sta
ton, as we'll as of the growers of peas
in different sections of the state, is
that the crop is a success in Montana.
The bulletin says:
THE test on varieties at the expert
ment station has not progressed far
enought to indicate safe conclusions
as to the relative yields. An average
of all varieties grown during the years
1904 and 1906 shows a yield of grain of
1876 bushels and of straw 2.34 tons per
acre. With legal weight per
bushel of so pounds, this yield shows
profitable returns
Both the grain and straw have a
very high feeding value, as shown by
a number of nalyses.
Speaking of the value of peas as
food for all classes of livestock, in
Farmers Bulletin 224 of the United
States department of agriculture, Pro-
fessor Thomas Shaw, formerly pro-
lessor of animal industry IN the col
lege Of agriculture of the University
of Minnesota, says:
There Is no kind of livestock on
the farm to which peas cannot be
fed with positive advantage when they
are to be had at prices not too high.
They are not commonly ced to horses,
since they can seldom be spared for
such use, but they make a good
food for horses at work, and for colts
during the period of development, If
given as part of the grain food. As
food for fattening cattle, peas are
probably unexcelled. Much of the sue
cess which Canadian feeders have
achieved in preparing cattle for the
block has arisen from the free use OF
peas in the diet. During the first
part of the finishing period they will
be found peculiarly helpful in making
beef, owing to their relative rich
ness In portein, but they are also a
satisfactory food at any stage of the
fattening process. During the first
half OF the finishing period peas will
be found superior to corn, but toward
the close Of the same corn could
probably be fed with greater relative
advantage. Peas with oats or bran
make an excellent grain food for cat
tie that are being fattened. Speaking
IN general way, peas should form
about one-third, by weight. of the meal
fed, but as every feeder knows the
relative proportions OF meal used
should vary Somewhat nc tho vaooor
of fattening progresses"