NIR Feed Pea Analysis Equations

REGINA - May 15/03 - SNS -- Efforts to develop calibration equations for near infrared spectrum and chemical composition of feed peas is expected to help the industry improve the nutritional value of feed peas used for poultry and hogs.

"Of all the pulse crops grown in Saskatchewan, field peas have the largest animal-feed component. They now have an established feed market, with a third to a half of all field peas being sold into the animal feed market, mostly in North America and Western Europe. In fact, field peas are now promoted as a feed for hogs and poultry," explains Dr. Tom Warkentin, a pulse crop breeder with the Crop Development Centre (CDC) in Saskatoon.

"As a good source of protein and energy - 21% to 26% protein and 40% to 45% starch - field peas fit well in both hog and poultry rations, so it makes sense to try and select varieties with an even better nutritional profile for hogs and poultry; to improve these values through crop breeding."

To carry out an assessment of chemical constituents - assess the protein, starch, fibre, fat and ash -the traditional techniques of "wet chemistry" are used. Assessment by Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), however, is quicker and less expensive, and is used with other crops. So Warkentin's goal was to develop field pea NIRS calibrations to assess the nutrient components. Working with him were Vern Racz of the Prairie Feed Resource Centre and Gene Arganosa of the University of Saskatchewan's CDC.

"We assessed a series of field pea varieties using wet chemistry, then scanned the same samples with NIRS to make predictions about various components. And we were reasonably successful. When scanned with NIRS, we were able to get quite good predictions of the protein level, and reasonable and useable predictions of the others.

"We also found that the NIRS predictions were better with ground grain but, because we prefer to use whole grains, we hope to improve the NIRS calibrations and plan to continue research in order to do that. Still, we think we can use NIRS now to help us select lines with a better nutrient profile, and we plan to make the information available to feed companies as well," says Warkentin.