| Three studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of de-oiled rice bran or a de-oiled rice bran plus cottonseed supplement on the performance of beef cattle. In the first study, 60 crossbred heifers were randomly assigned to one of six 5.1-ha pastures and supplemented with the following: (1) De-oiled rice bran, (2) 1:1 (wt:wt) de-oiled rice bran plus corn, or (3) corn fed at 1% BW (DM basis). Heifer weight gain did not differ (P = 0.30) among treatments. In addition, breeding date (calving date---283 d) was not affected by treatment (P = 0.64). One hundred twenty crossbred beef cows were used in a second study to evaluate the effects of supplementing warm-season grass hay with one of three levels of de-oiled rice bran (0.5, 0.7 or 0.9% BW, as-fed) from late gestation (December 13) through early lactation (April 18). Increasing level of de-oiled rice bran to 0.9% tended (P = 0.10) to increase BW by 18 kg over the entire supplementation period; however, change in overall body condition score was not affected (P = 0.18) by level of supplementation. Calf birth weights (P = 0.46) or BW at the end of the study (P = 0.63) were not affected by level of supplementation. In addition, fall pregnancy rate, as determined by rectal palpation, was not affected (P = 0.19) by level of supplementation. In a third study, seventy-two crossbred beef steers were supplemented with either a conventional or co-product feed with and without extrusion processing of the co-product supplement. Supplements included: (1) corn and cottonseed meal (71:29, wt:wt), (2) de-oiled rice bran and whole cottonseed (62:38, wt:wt), or (3) extrusion processed de-oiled rice bran plus whole cottonseed offered at 1.0% BW. Hay DM intake tended to be (P = 0.07) higher for the corn plus cottonseed meal supplemented calves. Despite the higher hay intake of the corn plus cottonseed meal supplemented calves, ADG did not differ (P = 0.33) among treatments, and subsequent BW was similar throughout. De-oiled rice bran and products contain de-oiled rice bran may be feasible alternatives to traditional feedstuffs. |
