Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1935-07-11
PEA VINE SILAGE
BEING DEVELOPED
TWO COMMON METHODS HAVE
BEEN DEVELOPED IN STATE;
GOOD FOR DAIRY CATTLE
MONTANA STATE COLLEGE)

MONTANA STATE COLLEGEl
Two common methods of handling
and dispOsing of pea vine siage or
pea Gamer refuse have been devel-
oped. il was learned from j. o. Tret-
sven, extension dairy specialist at
Montana State college. In the first
case, the peas are cut and hauled
direct to the cannery where they are
yined. The vines are ensiled in large
stacks or silos. The silage is then sold
at a fixed price per ton TO dairymen
and feeders living nearby.
The second method is to vine the
peas out in the country and haul the
cleaned peas TO the cannery With this
method. the vines are ensiled in stacks.
The size of the stacks will vary with
the type of viners used. In the districts
where portable viners are used, the
stacks may contain the vines from one
or more growers ~aggregating so acres
or more of peas. The vines then be-
long to the growers and the stacks us
ually are divided on the basis of acre.
age. The latter is the common system
employed in the Gallatin valley. When
the stack is properly built and well
packed, from 8 to 10 inches Of the sides
and 10 to 20 inches Of the top will
spoil.
The quality of the silage will depend
somewhat upon the variety of the peas,
the amount and kind of weeds it con-
tains, and the regularity with which
the stack was built, according to MIR.
Tretsven. Any long delay during the
vining period, due to bad weather,
break down in equipment, or waiting
for the peas to ripen, will result in a
partially decompoSed layer in the stack.
Any considerable amount of strongly
favored weeds. such as mustard and
fan weed, may be very Objectionable
for feeding dairy cattle.
Little information is available rela-
tive to the feeding value of pea vine
silage for milk production" says MIR.
Tretsven. The basis for evaluating
the silage has been the farmers general
observations and experiences in using
it with other feeds. Reports received
from dairymen who have used it vary
greatly.
In 1880, the Montana Agricultural
Experiment station started a series of
experiments to determine the feeding
value of pea vine silage for dairy cat
tie. Two feeding trials were conducted
with producing dairy cows. In both
trials the cowS we're divided into two
uniform groups Of eight head each.
With one lot Of COWS, pea vine silage
was substituted for nearly two-fifths
OF the alfalfa hay fed the other group,
otherwise the two rations used were
the same.
ITO eliminate any difference In the
productive capacity of the two groups,
these trials were conducted by the re-
versal method. The silage used was
hauled and was of fairly good quality.
Weedy and partially spoiled silage was
fed to other classes Of livestock.
The feeding value of the pea vine
silage was compared with an excellent
grade of alfalfa hay. All the feeding
was done in the barn.
I'm both feeding trials the produc-
ton Of milk and butterfat and the
gains in live weight were nearly equal.
The silage was readily consumed and
no detrimental effects were observed.
During these trials a study was
made of the effects of pea vine silage
upon the quality of the milk. Eleven
weekly samples of milk were taken from
each COW in the second trial. These
samples were tested for acidity, butter
fao and scored for flavor. Fifty-three
percent of the milk samples produced
by COWS receiving pea vine silage was
criticised for feed flavor. The two
samples OF milk were about equal in
quality. However, there are indications
that weed or partially damaged silage
may cause off flavors in the milk.
ITO ascertain if silage odors are
transmitted to the milk through the
respiratory organs. a COW was kept for
three days in a closed box stall in which
several hundred pounds of silage were
placed. The COW "a removed at milk
ing time. Samples of her milk taken
before, during and after this test in
dictate that silage odors are not i'm
parted to the milk this way.
When a good grade of pea vine sill
age is fed in moderate amounts i'm
mediately after milking, a good grade
OF milk can be produced if the proper
precautions are observed"