Evaluating pea screenings for swine ration formulation

Start with the lot, not the name

Pea screenings are not interchangeable with whole field peas. Screenings are a separated fraction from handling or cleaning, and their proportions of small or broken peas, other crop material and foreign matter can vary. That variation makes the identity and condition of the specific lot central to a swine ration decision.

Begin with a representative sample and a visual inspection. Note whether the material looks reasonably uniform, and look for excess dust, clumping, damaged material, insects, or visible seeds and debris that do not belong. Record unusual color or odor and investigate it rather than treating appearance as a substitute for analysis. A clean-looking sample still needs nutrient evaluation; inspection cannot tell you the lot’s energy or amino-acid contribution.

Ask for a clear description of what the screenings contain and how the lot was sampled. Where foreign material is present, its identity and amount matter: it can dilute the useful feed fraction, affect handling, or make the material unsuitable for the planned use. Do not assume that a label such as “pea screenings” establishes a consistent composition.

Read nutrient results on a comparable basis

Field peas can contribute protein and energy in feed, but those general characteristics do not establish the composition of a screenings lot. A screening fraction may differ from whole peas in the proportions of pea material, hulls, broken kernels and other constituents. Formulate from the lot’s own analysis rather than transferring a book value for whole peas directly to the screenings.

Review the laboratory report for moisture, crude protein, fat, fiber, ash and starch or other energy-related measures available for the ingredient. These results help describe the material and its place in the ration, but no single number represents its full feeding value. For a swine formulation, amino-acid information—especially the amino acids used to balance the diet—can be important when estimating how the ingredient contributes to the ration’s protein supply.

Check whether results are reported as-fed or on a dry-matter basis. Those bases are not directly interchangeable: moisture changes the nutrient concentration delivered per unit of ingredient as-fed. Use a consistent basis when comparing screenings with other ingredients and when entering values into the formulation system. If a result is estimated rather than measured, distinguish it from laboratory data.

Match the evaluation to the pig class

A lot should be judged against the needs of the animals receiving it, not against a generic claim that peas are suitable for swine. Piglets, growing and finishing pigs, and breeding animals have different ration objectives. The nutritionist should consider the class, production stage, expected intake and the rest of the diet before deciding whether the measured nutrient profile fits.

For each class, examine which nutrients the screenings would supply and which they would displace. Protein concentration alone does not show whether the amino-acid balance meets the formulation target. Likewise, an energy estimate should be considered alongside fiber and the ingredient’s other measured characteristics. The actual decision is whether the lot helps meet the complete ration’s nutrient specifications without creating an unwanted imbalance.

Avoid setting an inclusion rate from the ingredient name alone. A defensible rate depends on the lot analysis, the animal class, other ration ingredients and the nutritionist’s formulation constraints. No performance outcome follows automatically from using screenings; it depends on the finished ration and how it is manufactured and fed.

Account for foreign material and ration balance

Foreign material deserves its own review rather than being hidden inside an average nutrient result. Ask what is included, how it was assessed and whether the reported analysis represents the material as delivered. If the sample contains inconsistent pockets of screenings or debris, a single test result may not describe the whole lot well; representative sampling and clear sampling records help make comparisons more meaningful.

Then evaluate the screenings as one component of the whole ration. Consider their contribution to energy, protein and amino acids, and the effect of fiber, ash and moisture on the finished formulation. Account for what they replace: a substitution can change multiple nutrient contributions at once. Rebalance the complete formula rather than adding screenings on top of an otherwise fixed diet.

If the inspection or analysis raises a specific concern, define the question before ordering additional tests. Depending on the lot’s known history and condition, a nutritionist may need targeted testing beyond routine nutrient analysis. Testing should address an identified risk or formulation need, not serve as a general assurance about every lot.

Define the lot requirements before sourcing

For a useful comparison, specify the intended swine class and the nutrient targets the ingredient needs to support. Request the lot’s ingredient description, representative analysis, reporting basis, sampling information and details of identified foreign material. State any additional testing needed for the particular formulation and explain whether you need results measured on the lot or values estimated from other data.

Also define the required physical form, quantity and unit, destination, timing and how the facility receives and stores feed ingredients. These details help connect the formulation decision to a practical order. Commercial details such as available lots, packaging, timing and delivered cost depend on the specific offer and destination.

Once the ration criteria are clear, compare the lot data against them and source a match rather than buying on a broad category description. Visit the [pea screenings sourcing page](/ingredients/pea-screenings) to describe the required analysis, foreign-material limits and delivery details for a lot under consideration.

Common questions.