Rice Bran

Rice bran is the outer layer of the rice grain, removed by polishing brown rice to become white rice. It is a highly nutritious product that is a rich source of energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and fibre, therefore a valuable ingredient to add to feed to boost the nutritional content.

The health and productivity benefits of rice bran in livestock feed are well documented, having been well researched in Australian and international studies.

Rice bran contains:

• A highly digestible form of concentrated energy.
• A rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids for heart and blood vessel health.
• A good source of natural vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect tissues against oxidative damage and also supports immune function.
• A range of trace elements important for bone, cartilage and joint health, and for improving immune function and metabolism.
• A source of the essential amino acids including methionine for hoof integrity, and lysine for building muscle protein.
• A high rice bran oil content (up to 20%), which provides a dense source of energy. Using oil as an energy source conserves glycogen reserves in muscles, helping to delay fatigue and improve stamina.
• Gamma oryzanol is a natural anabolic plant compound, which promotes muscle development and definition.

The rice brain oil contained in rice bran may enhance the digestion of starch in the small intestine, for rice bran oil slows the rate of digestion through a horse’s stomach and intestinal passage. This allows for more time for complete digestion of starch and helps reduce the risk of acidosis, colic and laminitis, which are associated with the fermentation of starch in the horse’s hindgut.

Rice is a unique cereal grain with the following characteristics:

• It contains starch that is readily digested in the foregut.
• It is a good source of energy, required by hard working muscles.
• It is used to rebuild liver and muscle glycogen stores, essential reserves for when fast work is required.
• It is great source of B-group vitamins, which are vital for efficient metabolism (converting food into energy).
• It does not contain gluten or fluctan, therefore reduces the risk of digestive upsets.

Feeding trials conducted at the University of Queensland have demonstrated that rice is primarily digested in the small intestine. This is extremely important for the digestive health and wellbeing of horses and ponies. Feeding less digestible grains such as corn, barley and oats can result in undigested starch flowing from the small intestine to the large intestine. This undigested starch can then ferment, causing an unbalanced hindgut and may cause fizzy behaviours, as well as contribute to problems such as laminitis and colic.

CopRice strategically uses rice and rice bran in its feeds to produce balanced, consistent and highly digestible rations for horses and ponies. These scientifically formulated pellets provide optimum nourishment for health and fitness to achieve conditioning and performance targets.