Rice bran meal though has only 14-16% proteins which is very less compared to other oil meals like soybean meal, peanut meal, rapeseed meal etc, it has low fiber content which makes it free from rancidity problems and hence is in great demand for use in poultry as well as in cattle feed. Rice bran meal is also heard getting used as organic fertilizer and for medicinal purpose.
The usage of rice bran in animal feed industry is well known and researched. However, only recently have the functional and nutritional applications of rice bran been made popular. It was only a few years ago when this byproduct of the rice milling process was considered of very limited value because of its lipid instability.
Composition of rice bran varies due to the degree of milling and quantity of constituents. Rice bran is nutritious, containing high levels of protein, energy and minerals. Rice bran accounts for 60% of the nutrients in each rice kernel. Because of their nutritious value, rice bran now plays a prominent role in animal feed.
When oil is extracted from rice bran oil, this results in de-oiled rice bran. This is an excellent feed for animal diets for muscle accumulation rather than fat.