Rice bran, as the name suggests, comes from rice. Specifically, rice bran is the brown outer layer of the rice grain, which is removed in the production of white rice. Compared to the white portion, the bran portion of the rice kernel is significantly higher in nutrients and is high in fat, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B-6, iron, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, and fibre.

The most important quality of rice bran for horses however, is the level of fat it contains. Fat is a highly effective energy source for horses and a valuable addition to the diets of performance horses or horses requiring a high energy diet.

Stabilisation

One of the most troublesome things about rice bran is that immediately after separation from the white rice kernel, the fat begins to oxidise due to the action of an enzyme called lipase. After 24 hours, much of the valuable fat has gone rancid, especially if the weather is warm and humid. This rancidity leads to a soapy aftertaste, which can be quite unpalatable to all but the greediest of horses. But here’s the clever bit. Scientists quickly realised that by subjecting the rice bran to heat and pressure by extrusion immediately following its separation from the grain kernel, the lipase could be destroyed. Without the destructive lipase, the fat content of rice bran can be stabilised at around 16-20%.

With rice bran processing, timing is everything, and with EQUI-JEWEL stabilised rice bran, any rice bran not extruded within 12 hours of processing is not accepted for inclusion, ensuring consistent quality and palatability.

Read the ingredient list. If it doesn’t say stabilised rice bran, it’s not the real thing!

Energy

Just 500g of Equi-Jewel is equivalent to 1 cup of vegetable oil in terms of energy, and without the mess and palatability problems of vegetable oil, it makes a great alternative to the traditional fat supplements.

Calcium

Bran is a common horse feed ingredient, but one concern with feeding bran, whether its rice bran or another grain such as wheat bran, is the extreme calcium deficit. The calcium imbalance with bran and pollard is well documented with high phosphorus levels preventing calcium absorption, sometimes leading to severe deficiencies if fed for the long term without calcium supplementation.

Equi-Jewel contains added calcium to ensure the correct calcium to phosphorous ratio and to avoid problems caused by the high levels of phosphorus in rice bran.

Low Glycemic Index Supplement

The glycemic index (GI) of a feed is the measure of blood glucose levels in response to feeding. A low-GI feed produces minimal spikes in blood glucose resulting in slow-release energy that decreases the risk of disorders such as developmental orthopedic disease, laminitis, digestive problems, and metabolic issues.