Homegrown protein is one of the most practical levers a livestock farmer can pull to reduce feed costs and improve herd performance. Peas and faba beans have quietly become two of the most compelling options for farms looking to move away from imported soya, and in 2026 that interest is stronger than ever. Processing peas and faba beans for protein-rich animal feed is not complicated, but doing it well requires an understanding of how these legumes behave during milling, how processing affects digestibility, and how to match the right equipment to the job at hand.
This guide walks through the full picture, from why these crops stand out as feed ingredients to practical advice on storage and quality management after processing.
Why peas and faba beans stand out as feed ingredients
Peas and faba beans offer a genuinely strong nutritional profile for livestock. Both crops deliver crude protein levels that sit comfortably between 20 and 30 percent on a dry matter basis, making them a meaningful protein source for pigs, poultry, and cattle alike. Unlike many cereal grains, they also bring a useful amino acid balance, with lysine being particularly well represented, which matters most in pig and poultry rations.
Beyond nutrition, there is a practical agronomic argument for growing these crops. Legumes fix atmospheric nitrogen, which reduces fertiliser requirements on the farm and lightens the environmental footprint of the whole rotation. For farms committed to building a more self-sufficient feed system, peas and faba beans tick both the nutritional and the sustainability boxes in a way that few other home-grown crops can match.
One consideration worth noting is that both crops contain antinutritional factors, such as tannins in faba beans and trypsin inhibitors in peas. Correct processing, particularly milling and appropriate heat treatment where needed, plays a direct role in reducing these compounds and unlocking the full feed value of the crop.
Key processing methods for legume-based feed
The processing approach chosen for peas and faba beans shapes everything that follows, from digestibility to how well the material mixes with other feed components. Three methods dominate on-farm and contractor operations: roller milling, disc milling, and hammer milling, each with distinct characteristics that suit different outcomes.
Roller milling
Roller milling flattens the grain rather than grinding it. For legumes, this creates a flaked or crimped product that animals can digest efficiently without the feed becoming dusty. It is a well-established method for moist grain preservation, where the grain is processed at harvest moisture and stored airtight, similar to silage. This approach saves drying costs and preserves fermentable energy alongside the protein.
Disc milling
Disc milling uses rotating abrasive discs to produce a finer, more uniform particle size than roller milling. It handles both dry and moist grain effectively, making it flexible across different harvest conditions. For farms processing peas or faba beans alongside maize or cereal grains, a disc mill can handle the full range in one pass. The particle size produced suits pig diets particularly well, where finer material improves digestibility and feed conversion.
Hammer milling
Hammer milling grinds dry grain into a fine flour-like product. This method is best suited to farms where the feeding recipe specifically calls for a dry, finely ground material, which is common in certain cattle and pig operations. The resulting particle size is the finest of the three methods, which can be advantageous for young stock or for mixing into pelleted or compound feeds.
How crushing and milling improve protein digestibility
The seed coat of both peas and faba beans acts as a physical barrier that limits the speed and completeness of digestion in the rumen or the monogastric gut. Breaking that barrier through mechanical processing is one of the most direct ways to improve the availability of the protein and starch inside the seed.
When grain is rolled or milled, the cell walls rupture and the contents become accessible to digestive enzymes far more quickly. Research in ruminant nutrition consistently shows that processed legume grain is degraded more rapidly and more completely in the rumen than whole grain, which translates into better utilisation of the protein for milk or meat production. For pigs and poultry, finer particle sizes produced by disc or hammer milling increase the surface area available for enzymatic attack in the small intestine, improving amino acid absorption.
Processing also helps address antinutritional factors. Mechanical milling alone reduces the physical matrix that protects some of these compounds, and when moist grain processing is combined with airtight storage, the mild fermentation that occurs during preservation can further reduce trypsin inhibitor activity. The net result is a feed ingredient that delivers more of its nutritional promise at the feed trough.
Matching processing equipment to farm scale and feed type
Choosing the right mill for processing legume-based feed is ultimately a question of matching capacity, particle size requirements, and grain moisture to the specific situation on the farm.
For larger farms or contractors handling high volumes, a high-capacity disc mill is often the most practical choice. Our W-Max disc mills, for example, are designed to handle everything from barley and oats to maize, peas, and faba beans, both dry and at harvest moisture. The largest model in the range processes up to 100 tonnes per hour on maize, and the gap adjustment is straightforward, allowing operators to fine-tune particle size for different species and ration types. The integrated Murska Data control system manages preservative dosing automatically relative to grain flow, which removes one variable from the operator’s plate and improves consistency.
Smaller farms or those with specific requirements for dry, finely ground material will find a hammer mill better suited to their needs. Our Murska Hammer Mill is built for farms that need flour-grade output for feeding recipes that specifically require it, such as certain pig and cattle operations where the nutritionist has specified a fine dry ingredient. For operations that primarily want to flatten moist grain for airtight storage, a roller mill delivers an efficient and cost-effective result with lower energy consumption per tonne than finer grinding methods.
Mixing peas and faba beans into balanced feed rations
Processed peas and faba beans rarely work best as the sole protein source in a ration. Their real strength is as a high-protein complement to cereal grains, building a balanced ration from ingredients that are largely home-grown.
In practical terms, peas and faba beans are typically included at rates of 10 to 25 percent of the total ration dry matter for pigs and poultry, depending on the species, stage of production, and the amino acid profile of the rest of the diet. For ruminants, inclusion rates can be higher, particularly in dairy cow rations where the combination of fermentable energy from cereal grain and rumen-degradable protein from legumes supports milk production effectively.
Thorough mixing is essential to ensure that every mouthful of feed delivers a consistent nutrient profile. Uneven distribution of the protein fraction leads to variable performance across the herd or flock, which undermines the investment in growing and processing the crop in the first place. Mixing equipment should be matched to the batch size and the physical form of the processed material, whether that is a coarse flake from a roller mill or a fine flour from a hammer mill, to achieve uniform blending before feeding.
Storage and quality management for processed legume feed
How processed legume feed is stored has a direct bearing on whether the nutritional work done during milling is preserved through to the feed trough. Two broad approaches apply depending on whether the grain was processed dry or at harvest moisture.
Dry-processed peas and faba beans, milled to a flour or coarse meal, should be stored in a cool, dry environment and used relatively quickly. Fine-ground dry material is more susceptible to moisture uptake and oxidation than whole grain, so airtight bins or covered storage with good ventilation are important. Shelf life for dry-milled legume meal is typically measured in weeks rather than months, which means aligning processing runs with feeding schedules makes practical sense.
Moist grain processed by roller or disc milling and stored airtight behaves very differently. The same principles that govern wholecrop silage apply: rapid exclusion of oxygen, adequate compaction, and a reliable seal are the foundations of successful preservation. Peas and faba beans stored this way can retain excellent nutritional quality for many months, giving farms flexibility in how they manage feed supplies across the year. Preservative additives, dosed accurately relative to grain volume, support the fermentation process and reduce the risk of spoilage at the feed-out face.
Regular monitoring of stored material, checking temperature, smell, and visual appearance at feed-out, is the simplest quality management tool available. Any sign of heating or visible mould should prompt a review of the sealing or the preservative rate used. Getting storage right closes the loop on the investment made in growing and processing a high-quality protein crop at home.
If you are thinking about integrating peas or faba beans into your feed system and want to explore which processing approach fits your farm best, get in touch with us and we will be happy to help you find the right solution.
Meet Murska at EuroTier 2026
Murska will be exhibiting at EuroTier 2026, one of the world’s leading trade fairs for professional animal production and livestock farming. The event takes place from 10 to 13 November 2026 in Hanover, Germany, and brings together the latest solutions, technologies, and innovations from across the industry.
At the show, Murska will be presenting its full range of solutions for efficient feed production, grain processing, and crimped grain preservation. From roller mills and disc mills to preservative dosing systems, Murska’s equipment helps farms improve production efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and optimise animal nutrition. With EuroTier 2026 placing a strong focus on animal welfare, feeding technology, automation, and sustainable production, the event is an ideal setting to explore what Murska’s innovations can do for your operation.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Murska stand at EuroTier 2026 in Hanover — come and meet our team of experts in person.
