The Black Soldier Fly Larvae in Broiler Diets

Abstract

<p>Chicken meat is the most consumed meat worldwide. Fortunately, commercial broiler chickens are the most efficient livestock animals. The Black Soldier Fly larvae (BSFL) is a voracious organic waste eater with an extraordinary nutritional composition, representing a sustainable option to be included in commercial broiler diets. This research is divided into six chapters. Chapter 1 introduced the discussion about insects as food and feed, the importance of alternative ingredients in livestock and poultry feed, barriers and advantages of including insects in livestock and poultry feed, characteristics and importance of broiler chickens and the Black Soldier Fly larvae. Chapter 2 is a literature review entitled: ‘’Insect Protein in Animal Nutrition’’, published in Animal Production Science. The literature review discusses the environmental benefits in the insect rearing, the efficient feed conversion ratio of insects compared to other livestock animals, the nutritional characteristic of insects and their usage in animal nutrition, and the potential sustainable products to be produced from insect processing (e.g. chitin, fertilizers, sugar, biodiesel, antibiotics, etc.). Chapter 3 is a research chapter entitled: ‘’Black Soldier Fly larvae in broiler diets improve broiler performance and modulate the immune system’’ published in Animal Nutrition. This chapter concluded that the dietary inclusion of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of full-fat BSFL can be safely included in commercial broiler diets, improving growth performance and modulating the immune system. Chapter 4 is a research chapter entitled: ‘’Technological Quality, Amino Acid and Fatty Acid Profile of Broiler Meat Enhanced by Dietary Inclusion of Black Soldier Fly Larvae’’ published in Foods MDPI. This Chapter described how the maximum inclusion of 20% full-fat BSFL does not affect carcass composition, cut yield, nor chicken breast meat quality parameters. The fourth chapter also discussed the effects of BSFL inclusion in the diet on the chicken breast composition, such as increases in the total saturated fatty acids, and reduction in total polyunsaturated fatty acid content due to significant increases in some individual saturated fatty acids such as lauric and myristic acids. Chapter 5 discussed the effects of the 20% full-fat BSFL inclusion in the caecal microbiota of broiler chickens. Microbiome diversity was not affected by the BSFL inclusion. The abundance of some group of bacteria such as <i>Enterococcus</i> (reduced at day 21), Unclassified <i>Christensenellaceae</i> (reduced at day 21), <i>Coprococcus</i> reduced and <i>Roseburia</i> increased at day 42, and the <i>Dehalobacterium</i> decreased at day 42. Chapter 6 summarized and discussed the main findings of this research study and the implications of the main findings in the chicken-meat production. The full-fat BSFL can be successfully included up to 20% in commercial broiler diets, improving broiler performance and modulating the immune system, while not affecting carcass composition, cut yield, or meat quality parameters. Inclusion of BSFL did alter the amino and fatty acid and composition of the breast meat. In conclusion, the inclusion of up to 20% BSFL in commercial broiler diets can help to improve the sustainability of chicken meat production.</p>