Optimal substitution of black soldier fly larvae for fish in broiler chicken diets

• Published in: Scientific African 2023-07, Vol.20, p.e01636, Article e01636
• Main Authors: Nampijja, Zainah, Kiggundu, Muhammad, Kigozi, Abas, Lugya, Ashraf, Magala, Henry, Ssepuuya, Geoffrey, Nakimbugwe, Dorothy, Walusimbi, Sadhat S., Mugerwa, Swidiq
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alternative protein source; Carcass quality; Insect larvae meal; Marginal benefits; Optimal inclusion level
• ISSN: 2468-2276; 2468-2276
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sciaf.2023.e01636

•Black soldier fly is a suitable partial substitute for fishmeal in poultry diets.•Feeding poultry on black soldier fly larvae alters meat quality.•Complete substitution of fish meal with black soldier fly larvae meal reduces feed intake, digestibility and overall growth of birds.•Black soldier fly larvae not only provides an alternative protein source in poultry but also reduces the cost of feed and the overall cost of production in poultry. In pursuit of finding the optimum substitution level of black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) as an alternative protein source for fish meal (FM) in broiler diets, the effect of partial or complete substitution on feed utilization efficiency, growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and marginal economic benefits was assessed. 150 Cobb500 day old chicks were randomly allocated to five treatment diets in which graded levels of BSFLM substituted. FM; SD1 (control diet with only FM), SD2 (250), SD3 (500), SD4 (750), and SD5 (1000 g/kg DM), for 28 days. Subsequently, a conventional FM-based finisher diet was fed until day 42. Weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR), were determined and the second derivative of the FCR regression function used to determine the optimal inclusion of BSFLM. Further, marginal analysis was used to evaluate the marginal economic benefit of including BSFLM. The response to increasing amounts of BSFLM in the diet followed a quadratic trend (P