# Rice Bran



## Ariel301 (Jun 13, 2011)

Has anyone had any experience with feeding stabilized rice bran to goats to put weight on them? A friend of mine feeds it to her horses and I was wondering if it might help out my skinny goat (and the other milkers too). How much would be a good amount to feed to full size dairy does? Also, would it be likely to bother my foundered doe? She can't seem to have more than a couple of handfuls a day of grain without starting to limp, but she is so skinny I've got to feed her something more than just hay and alfalfa pellets, so I am thinking about maybe giving her a mix of the alfalfa pellets, rice bran, and beet pulp with just a little grain and calf-manna--sound like a reasonable plan?


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## Our7Wonders (Jun 13, 2011)

Funny you should bring this up. I was top dressing with calf manna until I realized soy was a main ingredient (I don't know why I didn't think to read the ingredients sooner).  I know several members here who use added oil to give some extra fat for there goats.  I looked into my options but didn't want to use corn oil due to my GMO concerns.  I only buy coconut oil and olive oil (besides animal fat) and both are too expensive to feed to my goats.  I was hoping to find a GMO free corn oil, no such luck.  I did end up getting a gallon of rice bran oil.  I've been using it on my goats for the last few weeks and I think I'm finally making some progress.   I don't know how much bran you would actually use though.  I'm adding 1/4 cup daily to their feed.  I don't even have a clue if that's too little or too much.  I read a post that someone was adding 1/4 cup corn oil to their feed daily so I went with that.  

I also have organic wheat bran that I haven't started using for them yet but may start.  I haven't yet only because I'm not sure where to start on the amount.  That, and I didn't want to throw too much at them all at once.  

I'll be watching this thread with interest.


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## Goatherd (Jun 13, 2011)

How could you go wrong with an oil that boasts these properties?

Rice Bran Oil:

A source of vitamin E complex, antioxidants and other micronutrients to help fight free radicals and combat the effects of aging. Rice bran oil has more of these components than other cooking oils.  The components of rice bran oil give it an outstanding shelf life.

Rice Bran Oil has the best balance of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats as recommended by such organizations as the American Heart Association and the World Health Organization.  It's the oil of choice for improving serum cholesterol levels and preventing cardiovascular diseases.

Rice Bran Oil is hypoallergenic.  For those who have an intolerance to other cooking oils this is an excellent alternative.

The actual cost of California Rice Oil to the consumer is not significantly different than other high-grade vegetable oils on the market.

Rice bran oil is a naturally occurring source of many antioxidants such as Tocopherols, Tocotrienols, Gamma Oryzanol, Phytosterols, Polyphenols and Squalene.  


Where did you buy your oil?


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jun 13, 2011)

A friend of mine has had excellent results with rice bran and suggested that it's Cah neutral.  We just purchased a doe who needs some weight and will probably try it.


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## Our7Wonders (Jun 13, 2011)

Goatherd said:
			
		

> How could you go wrong with an oil that boasts these properties?
> 
> Where did you buy your oil?


I bought a gallon of the California Rice Oil Company oil from Azure Standard.  It's less than half the cost of a gallon of olive oil.  I think it was around $17.


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## Renegade (Jun 13, 2011)

We have been using Rice Bran oil on our show goats for years and love the results. We use both the oil and the rice bran pellets. The pellets are a horse supplement and honestly they're easier to feed then the oil only because they aren't messy.
I use both because I have some goats that don't like the oil in their feed.
I recommend starting with a small amount at first and gradually increasing the amount. Don't go overboard or the goat will develop diarrhea.

HTH

Donna Finley
Finley Boers


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## Ariel301 (Jun 13, 2011)

How much do you mean by small amount? A handful, maybe? 

I had been giving corn oil to my skinny foundered doe, but it's messy and she doesn't really like to clean up her feed when it's greasy and soggy. Yeah, I'd like to avoid GMO too, but it's just not in my budget right now, being disabled and unemployed with a husband still in college. :/  My regular goats are getting a mix of brewer's grain, alfalfa pellets, wheat, barley, oats, corn, soybeans, sunflower seeds, field peas, and flaxseed that is all sprouted, and top-dressed with calf manna and Purina goat mineral. The foundered doe, I'm thinking of giving alfalfa pellets and beet pulp pellets with a handful of the grain mix, a handful of calf manna, and some rice bran. 

My goats eat better than I do, I think.


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## Renegade (Jun 13, 2011)

Ariel, 

Yes I'd start with a handful and about every 5-7 days I would increase it by another handful. Just be careful with your girl that foundered. I would cut the corn oil down to where it is just barely coating the food. Since they are used to it they are less likely to notice the rice bran. After about a week I would stop using the corn oil.

This is what we use: (the pellets not the meal)
http://www.mannapro.com/products/equine/max-e-glo-rice-bran/

Donna


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## West Tx (Feb 2, 2016)

Make sure to read the ingredients on the pelleted rice bran.  DO NOT use the one that has the supplements for horses.  Just rice bran and I believe it's vitamin E.  MaxEGlo comes in 2 different kinds.
Pellets-20% fat.  Oil-95%
Shelf life 1yr vs 2months


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## Baymule (Feb 2, 2016)

Welcome @West Tx to the forum from northeast Texas! Cruise on over to the New Member Introductions and introduce yourself! What animals do you have?


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