Rice Bran VS Flax

[MtnShadowsFarm]

Just wondering. I feed a balanced (omega 3 & 6) stabilized flax and love what it does for my horses! But I work at a feed store now and our customers only seem to by rice bran..LOTS of rice bran! Wondering if I should be doing the same?

Felicia

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]Flax is way better. Must be the rice bran people just havent cought on. There is no omega fatty acids in Rice Bran. There are in flax.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I really wish I could get rice bran- I have yet to be able to find it at all. But that is for another reason- I agree with Lyn that, as a supplier of fats, flax or BOSS are way better.

 

[Robin_C]

Rice bran and flax seed are similar in that they both provide fat to the diet, but diverge after that point.

Flax provides:

1) an excellent source of supplemental protein

2) fiber from the seed hulls

3) Omega 3 and 6 essentially fatty acids

4) may provide anti-inflammatory properties - good for horses with itchy skin or arthritis (provided by the Omega 3's)

5) May provide some "mucilage" (similar to SandClear/psyllium products) when fed whole

Rice Bran provides:

1) provides some protein

2) excellent calorie source

3) provides Omega 6 essential fatty acids

4) contains gamma oryzanol, a substance also known as "Mother Nature's steroid", which is felt to provide more muscle bulk - hence the reason why a lot of halter horse people use it (though some refuse to use it, claiming the weight goes to the horse's neck)

5) most horses love rice bran and it often times tempts finicky eaters to try something they don't care for.

Both flax seed and rice bran have an inverted calciumhosphorus ratio, just like grains, i.e. they have more phosphorus than calcium, so should not be fed in large amounts without taking the rest of the dietary balance into consideration.

Robin C

 

[Hosscrazy]

Hi Felicia:

I switched from flax seed to rice bran about a year ago, and I really like the results I'm seeing on the rice bran! Most available in our area is Natural Glo stabilized rice bran - it used to be in a purple bag, now it's in a gold bag. I'm sure your feedstore carries it! I am also giving my guys BOSS (1/4 cup each) and I really see a difference in their coats. You may want to try that, too.

Good luck!

Liz R.

 

[MtnShadowsFarm]

Thanks for your replies and as always Robin, you do such a great job of explaining the nutritive info!

Liz, why did you switch to rice bran and what differences are you seeing over the flax? I added Horse Guard vitamin/min suppliment and I see a phenominal difference! .

The feed store I work at carries umteen varieties of rice bran ranging from $9 -$20+ per bag. We even have Triple Crown Rice Bran Oil...(It's REALLY corn oil with flax seed oil and rice bran oil mixed together!)

The ONLY flax we carry the whole flax that has to be ground, so I get mine elsewhere.

 

[Hosscrazy]

The main reason I switched over was because of convenience. I was only able to find whole flax seed and by the time I finished the grinding, cleaning out the grinder, and not being able to grind a lot at one time (it can go bad quickly), I decided to try something a little easier - and that is the Natural Glo stablized rice bran. The rice bran, in conjunction with the BOSS is adding a nice shine to their coats - even with their winter woolies!

Liz R.

 

[appypintolady]

Is there a problem in feeding both rice bran and flax seed? I have just added both to my feeding program.

 

[Robin_C]

There is no problem adding flax seed and/or rice bran and/or BOSS to the diet. Just keep in mind that they are ALL fat sources and not all minis need or will do well on a high fat diet. Some commercial feeds are also high fat already, so some care needs to be taken in determining the fat content of the diet as a whole. Some feeds also contain rice bran already and some feeds also list flax as one of the ingredients (though not many -- this is usually found in supplements)

Generally speaking, if you are feeding any or all of the above in small amounts, there shouldn't be any issues (of course, there is always that individual horse who may be affected adversely)

Moderate amounts would be:

BOSS: 1/4 cup or less per day

flax seed: whole or ground....1 oz per day (a big heaping tablespoon full)

rice bran: about the same as flax

The BOSS has a nice mineral profile and the flax seed provides some extra protein in addition to the fat. The rice bran is basically fat + gamma oryzanol. They each provide something just a little bit different.

I personally feed BOSS and flax seed, whole alternating with ground (7 days whole, 7 days ground), but no rice bran since I have one horse who is highly allergic to it and don't want to take any chances with him getting hold of any.

Robin C

 

[MtnShadowsFarm]

Robin,

Why do you alternate between WHOLE and ground (7 days each)? ANd are you refering to BOTH the BOSS and the Flax or ...?

 

[Robin_C]

Flax seed is a great little feed additive, but it is highly unstable outside of its natural form. It quickly loses its nutrients and Omega fatty acids start to deteriorate once the seed husk is broken down. On the other hand, many sources say that when fed whole, it is not as easily digested. I can attest to the fact that certainly a little of it gets passed in manure as I have occasionally seen flax plants growing up in my pasture (lovely little things, beautiful flowers!). The same can be said for BOSS, though, and I enjoy my yellow sunflowered manure pile, too.

Whole flax also has the benefit of providing a mucilage effect when the seed husk is intact. That is, it acts much like SandClear or other psyllium products. When ingested, it forms a gel-like substance which has been reported to help with sand removal. Psyllium is just plant husk/fiber -- basically the seed shells and fibrous portion of the plant all ground up. So, by feeding the flax seed whole for a week, I am just taking advantage of that psyllium-type effect from the whole seed husks.

And because I want to be sure they are getting a more digestible form of the flax, I freshly grind it on a daily basis (using a $10 coffee bean grinder -- takes all of 5 minutes) for 7 days in a row. NOW, if I was really ambitious, I would feed half and half on a daily basis, that is (since I feed 1 oz per day), I would feed 1/2 oz ground and 1/2 oz whole per day -- but then I'm not that ambitious

: and have found that alternating one week of each suits my purpose. Another plan might be 1 week of whole seed per month and 3 weeks of ground. This would follow the same pattern as people do when they feed Metamucil or SandClear for 1 week out of each month. But since I live in Florida and have lots of sand, I've established my own routine. I only give the Metamucil now twice per year just as a precaution. So far, so good. I have a low colic rate here, maybe one or two in the 3+ years we have been on this farm and those were "cold weather" colics (i.e. not drinking enough).

Robin C

 

[MtnShadowsFarm]

So interesting, Robin! SO...I'm feeding a "Stabilized Flax" (Omega Fields).... 1 50lb bag lasts me about 3 months. Do you think I can feel confident that they are getting the nutrient benifits OR am I just paying for "marketing"??

 

[Robin_C]

You're good to go! Most stabilized flax supplements have been processed in such a way as to "seal in" most of the nutrients and Omega fatty acids. There are some high-heat processed, extruded rice brans that will keep for only a short period of time, and most of the EFA's, nutrients and protein have been "cooked out". Properly stabilized rice bran is all "human food grade". Always look for "stabilized rice bran" when you are purchasing it. The Omega fields product is one of these.

Robin C

 

[justagirl]

I found a product that combines Rice Bran Oil, Flax Seed Oil, and Corn Oil, and yes it's in an oil form. It's called Triple Crown. Stated it yesterday on my appy (full size) who has a hard time keeping his weight on, my kids riding pony whom has an arthritic fetlock, my mini mare, and my mini show gelding.

I'll let you know in a few weeks/months if I've noticed any change in any of these horses.

Anyone here use the product I'm referring to?

 

[Robin_C]

Triple Crown has an excellent line-up of products. I use their feeds almost exclusively. If your horses like the product and find it palatible, then you should expect to see excellent results this Spring as your horses shed out. When adding oil to the diet, just keep a careful eye on the manure. If it starts looking sloppy, it's time to back-off of the amount you are giving. Also keep an eye on your mini's weight as most minis are geared for lower fat diets than full size horses can tolerate.

Robin C

 

[MtnShadowsFarm]

I was excited to see the TC oil mix when we first got it into the feed store. The Corn oil is what turned me off! I guess if you're using it for weight gain it would probably be a good choice, but for me, I'd rather have it without the corn oil...JMHO