Effect of rice bran on palatability and digestibility of adult dog diets

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of full-fat rice bran inclusion in dry diets with and without enzyme blend supplementation for adult dogs.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of full-fat rice bran inclusion in dry diets with and without enzyme blend supplementation for adult dogs.

The diets contained 0%, 20% or 40% of full-fat rice bran, replacing the equivalent amount of wheat flour. Experiment 1 evaluated the consumption and preference of diets with three comparisons (0% vs. 20%, 0% vs. 40% and 20% vs. 40% full-fat rice bran). Experiment 2 investigated the effect of enzyme blend supplementation on the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of nutrients and GE, fecal characteristics, urinary pH, Ca and P balance, and ME of the diets. In Experiment 1, the results indicated that full-fat rice bran included in diets up to 40% did not affect the preference or consumption of food by dogs. In Experiment 2, increasing levels of full-fat rice bran in the diet linearly reduced the ADC of nutrients, GE and ME. The addition of an enzyme blend had no effect on any of the variables examined. The inclusion of 20% or 40% full-fat rice bran in the diets did not affect urinary pH, but caused an imbalance in the Ca and P metabolism when included at 40%, which could be one of the limitations for greater inclusion of full-fat rice bran.

The full-fat rice bran appears to be palatable for adult dogs, and although ADC was reduced by 40% full-fat rice bran in the diet, this ingredient has the potential for inclusion at 20% of diets for dogs, depending on the other ingredients used to achieve adequate Ca and P balance. The inclusion greater than 20% tends to increase P in the diet and reverse the relationship between Ca and P.

Source:  G.F.E. Pacheco et al., 2014. Effect of full-fat rice bran on palatability and digestibility of diets supplemented with enzymes in adult dogs. J Anim Sci online, September 2014. doi: 10.2527/jas.2013-7137.

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