Oryza sativa

Rice (forage)

There are many distinct varieties. Most varieties ("Swamp rice") must be planted in stagnant water, whereas others ("mountain rice" or "upland rice") require less irrigation. The regrowth after harvesting can be used as pasture. Rice may also be grown thickly until semisolid kernels are formed, and then cut and cured into a fairly palatable hay that is suitable for long-term storage and long-distance transport. Dry rice stalks minus the flowers or grains, called rice straw, are fairly palatable but usually insufficient for animal maintenance. Excessive feeding of rice straw produces harmful effects, as it contains oxalic acid which binds the calcium in the diet. This effect can be reduced by soaking the straw in water or by neutralizing it with a weak solution of calcium carbonate or calcium hydroxide.