The capacity of the gastrointestinal tract to absorb nutrients becomes less efficient as horses age. Rice bran is something most horses find palatable. Horsemen often believe that horses must be fed a legume hay, such as alfalfa, when rice bran is added to the diet. Equi-Jewel is a calorie-rich supplement that provides stallions with the additional low-starch energy they need to meet the demands of the breeding season. During strenuous exercise, horses fed Equi-Jewel had lower lactic acid levels, lower heart rates, and subsequent shorter recovery periods than horses fed corn oil. Research has shown that young horses fed low-starch diets have less likelihood of developing orthopedic problems such as osteochondritis dissecans. Prepurchase exam steps, ethics, and best practices, Webcast | What To Do When Your Horse Has a Fever, Infographic | Optimizing Air Quality in Your Horse Barn, Infographic | How To Protect Your IBH Horse From Bugs. Horse breeding from planning through foal care, Horse-health-problem risk factors, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, Design and maintain a healthy horse operation, Prevention and treatment for problems of the equine foot, How to care for the basic health needs of horses, Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of leg lameness, Proper feeding practices for foals, adult horses, and older horses, All aspects of caring for performance horses, News and issues for equine health professionals, Discussions about the welfare of our equine friends, Iowa State Seeking Horses for Sarcoid, SCC Treatment Study. The difference in the composition of these fatty acids not only impacts the feeds risk of rancidity but in other species, degree of saturation and chain length can impact fat digestion, absorption, and ultimately metabolism. In fact, rice bran or wheat bran confer few, if any, health benefits for horses and carry some risks.

Research has proven that fat is a superior energy source when compared to high-starch grains and commercial concentrates. When Equi-Jewel was included in rations, exercising horses had lower heart rates and subsequent shorter recovery periods. Therefore, your horses need for, and sensitivity to NSC, might be the deciding factor as to which high fat feed you add to your horses diet. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. In addition to hay I feed him a ration balancer, and Ive considered adding rice bran for extra fat calories. Natural Disaster: Are You and Your Horse Ready for Emergency Evacuation? In fact, fat contains more than two times the energy that carbohydrates and proteins do, thereby fueling horses more efficiently. Posted by Clair Thunes, PhD | Jan 21, 2018 | Breeding and Reproduction, Commentary, Feeding Fats, Feeding Foals and Young Horses, Feeding High-Performance Horses, Feeding Old Horses, Foal Care and Problems, Horse Care, Horse Nutrition Commentary Series, Nutrition, Older Horse Care Concerns, Other Supplements, Sports Medicine, Sports Nutrition, Supplements. Intensely exercised horses often burn more calories while working than they can safely consume in a single day. Required fields are marked *. Lipase, an enzyme that breaks apart fatty acids, causes the release of the individual fatty acids from the glycerol backbone. Rice bran can contain as much as 20% starch versus copra meal, which has a starch content as low as 1%. It is an excellent source of energy for horses struggling with RER (tying up) and PSSM. Yes. Fructan content can be estimated by subtracting ESC from WSC. Therefore, both feeds add concentrated energy to equine rations. Overall copra has a nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) content of around 10% compared to rice bran with a NSC closer to 25%. It is intended to help maintain weight on hard-to-keep horses and horses with elevated energy demands, such as intensely worked equine athletes, broodmares in early lactation, and growing horses. It is a highly digestible and palatable source of unsaturated fat for horses. Equi-Jewels high-fat, low-starch calories reduce the hormone spikes that can cause additional excitability. daily, E Maintenance & active senior: Feed up to 1 lb. Rice bran has a lower protein content at about 14% crude protein, but also has less fiber, so more of its protein should be available. By adding some calcium, manufacturers correct the drawback of an inverted calcium-to- phosphorus ratio. In addition to the original meal, Equi-Jewel is available as a pellet. Adding a few ounces of rice bran to help make a meal or supplement more palatable is fine. Equi-Jewel was developed by Kentucky Performance Products to safely meet the energy needs of todays horses. They are not intended to treat or cure illness or injury. Equi-Jewel is easier to feed than corn oil, and has a better omega-3 fatty acid profile. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Senior horses may have trouble maintaining weight, Managing horses with HYPP (hyperkalemic periodic paralysis), Fats Are an Effective Energy Source for Horses, Weight-gain tips for horses that wont cause digestive upset, Reducing excitability in horses through diet changes, Meeting the energy requirements of an off-the-track Thoroughbred, Your email address will not be published. This means that energy consumed in the form of short and medium chain fatty acids from copra meal is available to the horse as an energy source more rapidly than the energy provided by the long chain fatty acids in rice bran. When health issues arise, always seek the advice of a licensed veterinarian who can help you choose the correct course of action for your horse. Equi-Jewel has become a favorite fat supplement among trainers of performance horses and racehorses. Many older horses are eventually unable to maintain acceptable body condition on a normal grain ration alone. Concentrates (grains, sweet feeds, and pelleted feeds) are fed to horses to deliver appropriate levels of energy and micronutrients. Second Horse Tests Positive for West Nile Virus in California, Two Michigan Horses Test Positive for Strangles, Podotrochlosis: Navicular is No Longer the End of the Road for Horses. In its natural state, rice bran is richer in phosphorus than in calcium. One pound of rice bran contains the same amount of digestible energy as one cup (8 fluid oz) of corn oil.

Sure. Copra meal has a naturally lower risk of rancidity due to the type of fat it contains, but be aware that it can still become rancid. The fatty acids in copra meal are saturated whereas much of the fatty acid in rice bran is unsaturated.

There are some other important considerations regarding these two feeds beyond their fat composition and structure. When young horses are supplemented with Equi-Jewel, the amount of starch consumed is reduced, yet they still consume sufficient calories to grow and thrive. The Usual Weight-building Products Had Poor Results, but Equi-Jewel Made a Difference. Dont let the changing seasons catch your horse off guard. The Horsesexperts answer your questions during a monthly live audio event. Supplements are intended to maintain healthy systems and support recovery and healing. On a calories-per-pound basis both feeds are comparable at around 1.4 to 1.6 mega calories (Mcal) of digestible energy per pound; for comparison, most grass hays typically provide just under 1 Mcal per pound. Is rice bran or coconut (copra) meal a better option to help a horse gain weight? * Non-Structural Carbohydrate values reported on as sampled or as fed basis. Rice bran contains about 15 to 18% fat while copra meal is about 8 to 10% fat. Yes. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. If you decide you want to feed larger quantities of rice bran, you will need to offset it a bit with beet pulp to balance your major-mineral ratios unless you are using a calcium added product. Likewise, small amounts of bran can be incorporated into the daily diet, as long as the horse gets enough calcium from his other food sources.

Copra meal and rice bran contain triglycerides, a type of fat consisting of a glycerol molecule attached to three fatty acid chains of varying lengths. In fact, fat contains more than two times the energy that carbohydrates and proteins do, thereby fueling horses more efficiently. During stabilization, rice bran is subjected to intense heat and pressure that inactivate fat-destroying enzymes. Yes. Fat is considered a cool feedstuff because it does not cause the hormone spikes that lead to excitability. In rice bran, theyre long chains of 16 or 18 carbons. If you continue to use the site, we'll assume you're okay with this. The essential fatty acids contained in Equi-Jewel contribute to healthy skin and a gleaming coat in all horses. In growing horses, a decrease in developmental bone disease problems have been noted. What is the difference between these two products, and is one better than the other? Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. If theres not enough calcium to match the phosphorus in a bran-fed horses daily feed, his body will pull extra calcium from his bones in order to balance the excess phosphorus in his gut.

We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Growing up, she competed in a wide array of disciplines and was an active member of the U.K. Pony Club. When rice bran (Equi-Jewel) was substituted for corn oil in rations, horses had lower heart rates, more stamina, and subsequent shorter recovery periods. Because the fat in Equi-Jewel is a concentrated energy source, it will increase calorie consumption and improve body condition without risking grain overload. Adding rice bran to the diet allows breeders to keep mares in better condition without the risk of grain overload. 40-lb bag of pellets (40-day supply for 1 horse fed 1 lb per day), 40-lb bag of meal (40-day supply for 1 horse fed 1 lb per day, Dispelling Three Myths Concerning Feeding Fat to Endurance Horses. On arrival at their destination cells, carnitine helps transport the fatty acid to the cells mitochondria, where it is metabolized for energy using beta-oxidation, an aerobic process. Because Equi-Jewel is balanced, you can add it to any ration without worrying about causing an unhealthy mineral imbalance. Stay up-to-date on the latest news about your horse's health with FREE newsletters from TheHorse.com. Because lactic acid causes muscle fatigue, horses fed fat had improved stamina. Yes. The effects of feeding Equi-Jewel heat-stabilized rice bran versus corn oil were compared in a scientific study. Because of the high fat, the calorie level is similar to plain oats. Fat is an extraordinary source of dietary energy. So, its hard to say for sure whether fat type impacts performance. daily, E Pregnant mares: 1st to 7th month: Feed up to 1 lb. It can be a good way to get extra calories into a picky eater or an older horse with trouble chewing hard feeds and hays. daily, E Breeding stallions: Feed up to 2 lbs.

This may be true when feeding a product that does not contain a balanced mineral profile. Bran is believed to have a laxative effect in people, but to get the same effect in a horse, youd have to feed huge amounts of it-more than he could eat. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hours of Operation:Monday-Friday 8 a.m. 5 p.m. EST. Both tend to have an inverted calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, meaning that they provide more phosphorus than calcium.

You should be able to safely substitute up to one cup rice bran. To increase the calcium content, ground limestone is added to Equi-Jewel. Yes. Copra meal has a crude protein content of about 20%; however, not all the protein will be available to the horse, as some is bound up in the feeds fibrous portion. Ultimately the fatty acids are converted back in to triglycerides and travel through the body in the lymph system, packaged along with proteins as chylomicrons. daily, E Lactating mares: 1st to 3rd month: Feed up to 2 lbs. Rice bran that is heat-stabilized is safer to feed than raw bran. Equi-Jewel is a calorie-rich supplement that provides mares with a safe source of low-starch calories during this period in her reproductive life. Today, she serves as the district commissioner for the Salt River Pony Club. Join us as we interview leading equine researchers from the University of Kentucky, Problem Solver Series: How to Control Nuisance Birds on Horse Properties. There is some data looking at feeding animal-derived saturated fat sources to horses, which shows an increase in resting muscle glycogen and glycogen utilization during high-intensity exercise. Stabilization eliminates the possibility of rancidity and does not alter the nutritional content of the rice bran. Equi-Jewel is popular among professional trainers and sales conditioners because it promotes healthy skin and a lustrous coat, and its use decreases grooming time. You want the level of calcium in the analysis to be at least 1.2 times higher than the phosphorus. To achieve superior coat condition, heat-stabilized rice bran can be supplemented to horses of all ages. Laminitis: Whats Grain Overload Got to Do with It? For horses requiring low starch/sugar diets, Equi-Jewel is an excellent source of calories. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The unique stabilization process used by Kentucky Performance Products to produce Equi-Jewel ensures its freshness. E Light work: Feed up to 1 1/2 lbs. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Equi-Jewel undergoes a unique heat stabilization process that ensures its freshness. Research has shown that the post-feeding blood glucose and insulin responses when copra meal is fed to horses is like that of a low-NSC pasture grass and significantly lower than feeding a sweet feed. One cup by volume of rice bran is about a pound of feed by weight. By supplementing with Equi-Jewel, you can reduce the levels of starchy grains you feed and protect your stallion from the digestive upsets related to grain overload.

She works as a consultant with owners/trainers and veterinarians across the United States and globally to take the guesswork out of feeding horses and provides services to select companies. Equi-Jewel is an excellent source of easy-to-digest calories for older horses. Small Breeder Makes Her Dreams Come True With a Little Help From KPP Supplements. daily, E Lactating mares: 4th month to weaning: Feed up to 1 1/2 lbs. daily. Many rice bran manufacturers now add calcium carbonate to rectify this issue, which you can see on the ingredient list. A. Stabilization eliminates the possibility of rancidity and does not alter the nutritional content of the rice bran. daily, E Very Heavy work: Feed up to 2 lbs. Insufficient energy intake during this critical period can cause a decline in the mares body condition, fertility levels, and even lead to reduced milk production. Feeding recommendations for the meal and the pellets are the same: feed one to two pounds daily. When a triglyceride with long chain fatty acids enters the small intestine it mixes with bile, which helps emulsify it into smaller droplets. Though your horse may relish a nice, warm bran mash from time to time, too much of it can do more harm than good. At 20.5% fat, a small amount goes a long way. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Digestion and absorption of short and medium chain triglycerides in comparison is rapid and simple. In addition, daily supplementation with Equi-Jewel can improve body condition of horses that do not carry sufficient weight. Because lactic acid causes muscle fatigue, horses fed Equi-Jewel had improved stamina. Cool Energy A Complete Turnaround With Equi-Jewel, Equi-Jewels all-natural ingredients are high in fat and fiber, Equi-Jewels balanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratio means you dont have to worry about mineral imbalances, Equi-Jewels unique stabilization process ensures freshness, Performance horses and show horses of all disciplines, Racehorses (Thoroughbred, Standardbred, American Quarter Horse, and others). WSC is water soluble carbohydrates. Bran mashes will not protect your horses digestive health. As copra meal contains no polyunsaturated fats it cannot help with this dietary requirement, whereas about 40% of the fat in rice bran is linoleic acid a required omega-6 fat. Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with, If you're interested in adopting this horse, please submit an Adoption Inquiry via our website: Allaboutequine dot org. About 25 years ago, a stabilization process was developed that prevented high-fat rice bran from becoming rancid and preserved its natural properties.

These cookies do not store any personal information. Rice bran has become a favorite fat supplement among owners and trainers of performance horses.