Re: wheat bran

["Susan Evans Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

Wheat bran is just another source of carbohydrates, just as any other grain
is.  The NRC numbers rank wheat bran as having slightly higher energy values
than whole oats, but because of oat's high digestibility, it's true feeding
value is probably a little lower than oats---but it's still a high energy
feed.  It may look like a bowl of feathers, but it's categorized with other
grains, not as a roughage (as some people erroneously think).

A lot of people feed wheat bran because they think it has laxative
properties, so will help avoid impaction colic during a ride, but in fact
this isn't true, either.  During some research trials, wheat bran was fed up
to 45% of the total ration and the fecal water content did not increase (as
it would if the bran were acting as a laxative).

So, mostly, wheat bran just has value as something easy to mix water into to
make a sloppy mash, and as a source of carbohydrates, and gives crews
something warm and fuzzy to do for the horse. :-)

Susan Garlinghouse
-----Original Message-----
From: sweety@nni.com <sweety@nni.com>
To: ridecamp@endurance.net <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Friday, May 21, 1999 11:10 AM
Subject: RC: Unidentified subject!


>I have heard of some folks feeding wheat bran - I am curious what the
>purpose and value of wheat bran would be to the horse, the endurance horse
>in particular.
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>~Shere
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