Citation

Snell, M. G., Bray, C. I., Morrison, F. L., and M. E. Jackson, Fattening steers on corn, rice products, and rice straw. Louisiana Bulletin No. 389: 1-25, 1945.

Abstract

1. Rations composed principally of rice by-products produced good gains on fattening steers. Due to high price levels on rice feeds the profits from feeding these were not as great as from feeding a corn and cottonseed meal ration. The relative values for the rice products compared to corn in these tests were not as high when fed to steers as when fed in mixed rations to swine or poultry. Rice bran and polish might have shown higher values it combined with other feeds, with some other roughage than rice straw.

2. Rice polish ranked second to corn as a fattening concentrate, with a feeding value of 86% to 89% that of corn, considerably less than its value in fattening swine. A small reduction in the price of rice polish would have made rice polish as profitable as corn. Rice polish might preferably by fed in combination with other concentrates, rather than as the only carbohydrate concentrate.

3. Ground rough rice produced satisfactory gains but should sell at 84% to 86% the price of corn to be a profitable stock feed. Where rough rice costs more than corn it is too expensive to feed at a profit.

4. Chicken-feed rice showed an estimated value of 70% to 72% that of corn. It might have been more satisfactory if ground. Chicken-feed rice has shown a much higher value when fed to lambs.

5. Rice bran, when used as the only carbohydrate concentrate, was not entirely satisfactory for fattening steers, showing a value of only 64% to 68% the value of corn. Steers fed principally on rice bran sold for the lowest prices per 100 pounds, and made the lowest gains per day. Rice bran showed to better advantage in combination with corn or molasses. Its greatest advantage is its low price compared to corn.

6. Rice straw, supplemented with a small amount of alfalfa hay and ground oystershell was a mere economical roughage than mixed legume and grass hay at the prices paid in 1942. The value of rice straw as a feed in generally underestimated. Good rice straw has about 9/10 the nutrients contained in good oat straw, and form 75% to 80% the digestible nutrients in some of the grass hays. If fed in dry lot, that is, without access to green forage, some well cured legume hay of good color will supply Vitamin A, which is necessary to good gains on fattening steers.

Country, State, District, etc.

United States, Louisiana

Language

English

Material

rice straw, rice bran, rice grain products, corn

Use category

animal feed