[Composition and food value of the flat pea (Lathyrus sylvestris L.)]

Flat pea (Lathyrus sylvestris L.) is suitable as 'pioneer plant' for the recultivation of slag heaps and mining areas for agricultural production. Flat pea contains between 20 and 30% crude protein in the dry matter and is richer in protein than other feed legumes. It is comparable to foxtail clover and lucerne as regards the content of amino acids (g/16 g N) and minerals. The digestibility of the crude nutrients of various dried products of flat pea was ascertained in seven experiments with five rams. The digestibility of the organic matter of the hay (before budding) was 66.2%, energy concentration 526 EFU/kg DM; 55% and 410 EFU/kg DM were ascertained for seed straw. The protein digestibility for hay and dried green fodder varied between 72.3 and 75.8%. Since there have been no reports lathyrogenous substances in the vegetative parts of flat pea, its use as green fodder or dried green fodder for feeding sheep, cattle or wild ruminants is possible.