Replacing peas — not easy peasy

NOTE: We are providing this information with shipments that reflect any major change of ingredients, but it also merits a blog post.

Drought, labor shortages and transportation challenges have combined to create major ingredient shortages that are affecting our ability to reliably source some of our favorite ‘super star’ nutritional performers. Peas are a particular challenge. Each year we use hundreds of tons of peas in our feeds. If you follow us, you know we love them because they’re such complete protein source and animals love them. Unfortunately, peas don’t love drought. Climate change does not bode well for our ability to continue to depend on them as a staple. While we’re not giving up on peas, it’s time for us to find another option.

Drought and heat have created a nation-wide pea shortage that’s affecting our ability to adhere to our usual “fixed formula” approach.

Replacing peas with something besides soy — which is not an ingredient most customers want — is complicated. To replace the pea protein source can require a combination of half a dozen ingredients. We may use ingredients such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower meal, flax meal, fish meal, canola meal, alfalfa meal and separate amino acids like lysine and methionine. They need to be precisely combined in the correct proportions because no single source is perfect in/by itself. 

Alfalfa meal, which we like, is the most similar protein because the plant is closely related to peas. However, it won’t do the job by itself. It is too high in fiber, and too low in calories and certain amino acids. But when you skillfully combine it with certain other ingredients, you can achieve something very close to our original pea-based formula. We’re excited to be able to offer a soy-free alternative to the peas we all love, but we know that change isn’t always easy!