Re: Left over hay/straw? from pea crops

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

Do you happen to know the species of the pea plant?  According to my texts,
there is a toxin contained in the entire plant of some species which causes
a syndrome called lathyrism, which causes degenerative changes in the nerves
and muscles of the larynx which can lead to a laryngeal paralysis and near
suffocation during exercise.  Also splenic and liver inflammations are
possible.  Horses are supposedly especially susceptible to it, the toxin is
concentrated in the pea itself, but is also throughout the entire plant, and
they have to consume the plant long-term to be affected (what constitutes
long-term, I don't know).  You can destroy the toxin by cooking, but I'm
assuming you don't want to boil pea vines for two hours.

The species of peas that are okay to feed are field beans, chick peas,
cowpeas, field peas and tick peas---most other species of peas and beans are
not okay.

Susan G

----- Original Message -----
From: Wayne/Elaine Delbeke <delbekew@sprynet.com>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2000 3:42 PM
Subject: RC: Left over hay/straw? from pea crops


>
> Anyone out there have any information or experience with feeding horses
> the left overs after the peas have been harvested?  Apparently goats
> love and thrive on it, cows won't eat it and horses love it but we don't
> know if it has much nutritional value (I didn't experiment on my horses
> - just heard from someone else).  What a great forage to put out in
> winter (up here in Eskimo country) if it has any value.
>
> Hope someone can help on this.  Thanx
> elaine
>
>
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