What kind of protein content is realistic with pea/cereal mixes?
Pea silage could be 13-18% protein so theoretically a pea/cereal mix should have higher protein than a cereal silage alone which is usually about 10% protein. In reality however, the potential protein benefits of peas in silage mixtures often are not attained because of the competitive effects of the cereal crop. Pea/cereal mixtures can produce better quality silage than cereals alone (Table 1), but the success of these intercrops is highly dependent on the seeding rates for both crops and making sure that there are enough peas in the mixture to influence feed quality. Table 1. Dry matter yield, protein content and protein yield of peas seeded at seven plants per square foot with various rates of barley at Edmonton and Barrhead.
