Ask The Equine Nutritionist

QUESTION: Could you please tell me the difference in the nutritional benefits of Brewer's Yeast and Rice bran?  In what situations would I feed one rather than the other? 

I know that with Rice Bran, feeding too much can produce diarrhea, but what are the problems of feeding too much Brewer's Yeast, and what is considered too much?

Could you tell me what each contains that is nutritionally beneficial to horses?

Thanks!

ANSWER: Rice bran is a by-product of the rice milling industry, it is the outer part of the rice grain (just inside the hull). It has a high fat content around 22% and is generally used as a high fat additive for feed, it also has a high fiber content as you would expect from a bran.
If you feed it in reasonable quantities around 2 lbs per day or less it is a very useful energy feed. It does need to be stabilized and usually needs calcium added, but most feed quality rice bran are both of these these days.

Brewers Yeast is a by-product of the brewing industry, it is the yeast that grows in the barley or corn mash to produce the alcohol. All the alcohol is removed and the yeast is taken out and used for feed.
BY is a high protein feed and can have an exciting effect on horses, also being high in fermented products it can have negative effects on the GI tract as well if feed in too high a quantity. Again 1-2 lbs per day is the max that should be used. And it needs to be incorporated into a balanced ration.

You might be thinking of Distillers grains which are another by-product of the brewing industry, DG is the spent remains of the barley or corn that the yeast used to grow on. DG has a high level of brewers yeast in it.  It is also a high protein feed. It is a useful addition to the diet in reasonable amounts such as 1-2 lbs per day.

Both the BY and the DG can have palatability problems if not properly treated so you need to buy them from reputable sources.
While both BY and DG are more typically used as a protein supplement, they also provide some energy and B vitamins and so have other uses.

RB is pretty much an energy (fat) source though it does contain some protein. Both products are used as part of a mixed blend of feeds to provide a balanced ration.

Neither feed is suitable to be fed alone.


Dr. Melyni Worth Ph.D. - 2004 (c)

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