Nornberg et al., 2004. Rev. Bras. Zootec., 33 (6) (Supplement 3): 2412-2421

Eight Jersey cows with an average liveweight of 420 kg, yielding ~20 kg of 3.5% FCM in early lactation (around the peak of lactation) were used in a trial with the objective to evaluate rice bran as fat source associated with oil or tallow in isoproteic, isofibrous and isolipidic diets on the apparent digestibility of nutrients. The four treatments used were: CON-concentrate without fat addition; BPF-concentrate with by pass fat; RBO-concentrate with rice bran + rice oil; and RBT-concentrate with rice bran + tallow. The concentrate was made from corn meal and soyabean meal. Corn silage and lucerne hay in a ratio of 1:1 dry matter basis were fed ad libitum and kept in a 55:45 hay:concentrate ratio. Concentrates were fed three times a day. Two 4*4 Latin square design in a 4 week period were used and the means were computed by the F-test. The apparent digestibility coefficients for dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre and nonfibrous carbohydrates were not affected by the fat sources. Rice bran can be used as a fat source up to 6% crude fat in the diet of early lactating cows.