The Value of Meat and Peas, Alone or in Combination, as a Source of Protein for Growth

Abstract

Cooked pork, lamb, beef, and peas, and some combinations of peas and the meats, have been compared with whole egg as sources of protein for growth in young rats. Measured by growth rate and by efficiency the various meats, when fed at a 10% protein level, were as good sources of protein for growth as were eggs. Cooked peas alone were a poor source of protein for growth whether measured by average daily gain or by gain per gram of protein. When peas were supplemented with 0.3% dl-methionine, growth was increased until it was not significantly different from that obtained with whole egg protein although it was not as efficient. At the levels of meat fed in combination with peas in this investigation growth was improved over that from peas alone but even the meat and pea diets were inadequate as evidenced by a characteristic liver involvement and early death of many of the test animals.