Commercial strain-cross egg-type pullets were grown from 8 weeks of age to maturity on a diet containing 68% rice bran, 25% alfalfa, 5% dried molasses, and mineral, vitamin, and amino acid supplements. Similar diets in which wheat millfeeds or brewers dried grains replaced the rice bran produced satisfactory pullets but growth was slower and efficiency less than with rice bran diets.Laying diets containing up to 39.7% of rice bran supported egg production which was not significantly different from that produced with a standard corn-soy diet. A diet containing 74.7% of rice bran resulted in inferior production. A diet containing 74.7% of autoclaved rice bran resulted in egg production which was significantly better than that on the basal rice bran diet and not significantly different from that on the standard corn-soy diet.

Metabolizable energy (ME) values of some ingredients were determined using laying hens. Diets used in these studies were composed primarily of the test ingredient plus minerals and vitamins. Mature hens, housed in separate cages, were permitted to adjust to each test diet for about 2 weeks, followed by a 3 or 4 day collection during which total feed intake and excreta output were recorded for individual birds. ME values for rice bran, wheat middlings, brewers dried grains, and alfalfa meal were found to be 2.54, 1.90, 1.84, and 1.78 kcal/g, respectively. ME for rice bran was substantially higher and for brewers dried grains lower than the reported chick values. Autoclaving rice bran (15 psi, 30 min) resulted in no significant change in its ME value. The rice bran contained 8% fat.1979 Poultry Sci 58:441-445