Has anyone had any experience with Rice Bran Pellets for weight gain. I see there are multiple brands available.
Thanx
Our entire barn is on Equijewel and we have had great success using it. Keeps them shiny and healthy and fattens them up as needed without having to feed more grain.
Any source of calories can put on weight. Rice bran is around 1400 cal/lb, which makes it less calorie-dense than most concentrated feeds. But its higher fat can be beneficial for some horses.
1lb of rice bran is less volume than most feeds, so that’s a benefit. But it also brings higher starch, which is not always ok (usually fine, barring IR or PSSM issues).
“more grain” isn’t always bad. If you’re feeding a feed without cereal grains, and is 1700 cal/lb, another pound of that may be the better option
Yes, I’ve used it to put a little weight on a pony who has food allergies and reacts to most grains. He did well on it.
My TB was on 1lb of Equijewel and it did help with putting weight on him, but he stopped eating it after a couple of months.
I have fed rice bran for years, specifically for my “high energy” horses that need the calories but not the “va-voom” that sometimes accompanies additional grain or alfalfa.
