Wheat Bran

Wheat bran, or common "bran", is a by-product of wheat flour milling. For centuries it has been popular as a laxative feed for stabled horses. The fibre in bran holds an additional reserve of water in the hindgut, which in large amounts produces softer, moister droppings. However, bran has no significant laxative effect when added in small amounts to the traditional roughage base of hay and chaff, even when given as a "hot" bran mash after soaking in hot water.

Bran is made from the fibrous coating on wheat grain. Various forms are available, graded as flaky, coarse or fine bran, or mixed as coarse "mill run" or "mill mix" bran. Bran is palatable to horses, it is bulky with a low weight per volume (density), containing 8-11% crude fibre, 4% fat and 14-16% crude protein. Although bran is slightly higher in the majority of essential amino acids than whole wheat, it is still low in those required for growth.

Bran contains useful levels of B-group vitamins, including niacin, pantothenic acid, and folic acid, but is low in most other vitamins. It also contains 1% phosphorus, of which 90%) is in the form of phytate. Bran contains very low amounts of calcium and as phytate binds calcium (as well as zinc and iron) and decreases its uptake from the small intestine, large amounts of bran can lead to an induced calcium deficiency, known as Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism (NSH). Historically, it was referred to as "millers Disease" in horse because flour milling companies often fed their horses rations containing high amounts of "flour offal" or bran.

Calcium, zinc and iron supplements should not be mixed into large amounts of bran, as they may become bound to the phytate in the small intestine and less will be absorbed. Calcium especially, should be fed in the main feed rather than in a bran mash. Calcium can be added to rations containing a small amount of bran as an appetiser without significantly its uptake.

Nutrient Composition of Wheat Bran
(Average value as fed, 90% Dry Matter, unless otherwise stated)

Source: AFIC (1987), NRC (1989), Ensminger at al (1990), Lewis (1995), Frape (1997), Feedstuffs Annual (1997)