# Rolled oats versus whole oats?



## GoldenWood Farm (May 31, 2003)

I am trying to find the difference in nutrition between rolled oats versus whole oats?

I FINALLY found the recipe I was looking for (woohoo!) and in the recipe the gal uses rolled oats instead of whole oats. I am wondering if I could use whole oats ($2's cheaper) instead of rolled oats but I am not sure how they compare nutrition wise.

Thanks for putting up with all my questions!

Justine


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## trnubian (Mar 19, 2005)

I use whole oats. Cheaper and just as good imo. I have used rolled oats but they made the grain dustier and the goats didn't seem to like them as well.


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

*Crimped Oats*
*Crude Protein Min. 11.0 PCT* 
*Lysine Min. 0.38 PCT* 
*Crude Fat Min. 3.9 PCT* 
*Crude Fiber Min. 11.8 Max. 13.2 PCT* 
*Calcium (Ca) Min. 0.6 Max. 1.1 PCT* 
*Phosphorous (P) Min. 0.33 PCT* 
*Zinc Min. 27 PPM* 

*Rolled Oats:
**Crude Protein (min.) 9.50%, Crude Fat (min.) 4.00%, Crude Fiber (max.) 13.00%
*
I only put these analyses here to provide an actual analysis of each from a particular company. Surprisingly, one finds in general that whole (crimped) oats have higher nutrition than rolled oats. One reason may be that rolled oats loose some of the grains skin along with the hull in the rolling process. They are also steamed before rolling which may cause some vitamin loss. One should also take into account that regular crimped oats will stay fresh much longer than rolled oats, which may mold easier in a humid climate.

In other words crimped oats beat rolled oats all around except in that the rolled oats are more palatable to a human (and maybe young goat kids)


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## coso (Feb 24, 2004)

:shrug:Basically you will get more total digestible nutrients out of rolled. Whether you will get $2 difference or not. I don't know !!


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

coso said:


> :shrug:Basically you will get more total digestible nutrients out of rolled. Whether you will get $2 difference or not. I don't know !!


Check the book...the TDN of crimped oats is higher.


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## Clovers_Clan (Jul 17, 2012)

I prefer the cheaper, less processed, whole oats and get the added benefit that any wasted on the ground either gets picked up by the chickens or sprouts into great fodder for all of my critters.


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## GoldenWood Farm (May 31, 2003)

Okay...the feed recipe I am going to be using is this
1pt Rolled Barley
3/4pt Rolled Oats
1/4pt Sunflower seed

I will add beet pulp as needed for weight gain and top dress with kelp and flax seed. I am now trying to figure out if the gal who I got the recipe from (years ago) did her parts by volume or by weight. I emailed her today in hopes she still remembers (not sure if she even does goats anymore). But when you guys mix your own feeds do you mix by volume or by weight?

Justine


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## coso (Feb 24, 2004)

Crimped and whole are not the same thing though !! Usually the crimped are steamed at the same time, so that helps start the breaking down process and they do have more TDN. From what I am reading I don't think you are going to get $4 a hundred difference between rolled and whole. I am assuming the $2 difference was per one sack 50lb. ?


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## GoldenWood Farm (May 31, 2003)

Yes it was a $2 difference between 50lb bags.

Justine


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## Frosted Mini's (Nov 29, 2012)

Ruminants process whole grains just fine. I get the whole oats for my mix, even though they are slightly more at the mill near me (weird!) than the rolled oats, mostly because the rolled oats I can get are really itchy! They have all these chaff things that scratch my arms when I mix up a batch of grain. One time, I bought rolled oats and it was almost all chaff!! I think they must have been at the bottom of the bin or something.


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

as soon as you open a grain it starts loosing nutritional value vitamin and mineral wise. The whole reason behind rolled and crimped oats was because some felt that horses coundnt digest whole oats because an occasional piece came out the other end. Later science proved other wise and horses and goats both digest oats differently than other grains as they are processed as a forage thats why you can bulk a horse up or goat greatly off large amounts of oats without as much risk as using another grain or processed pellet. Most halter horses are fed oats, hay and a mineral mix for that reason.


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## trnubian (Mar 19, 2005)

I mix by weight not volume. That way I can calculate the protein and fat percentage.


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## Ford Zoo (Jan 27, 2012)

I am amazed at the cost difference for you compared to my area. Today I bought whole oats for $9/50# from the local feed mill, while a 50# bag of rolled oats costs over $20. What a difference!


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Whole oats / ruminants / ok by me.


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## GoldenWood Farm (May 31, 2003)

Thank you so much guys for all the info! Man Alice I am so jealous of your whole oat prices! Here it is anywhere from $15-$19 for a 50lb bag and more if you get rolled. I am excited thought about starting my new grain program for the girls combined with using calcium carbonate and Replamin Plus this year :happy2:.

Justine


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## julieq (Oct 12, 2008)

We started using just whole oats and BOSS mixed with a tad bit of molasses a few months back, trying to get away from the GMO's in the available mixes around here. We're just feeding them to the does on the milk stand, nothing to the rest of the crew, but they love them.


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