Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus) prepupae meal on growth performance and gut development in broiler chicken

  • Original Research Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to explore the suitability of black soldier fly (BSF) Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus) prepupae as poultry feed. Ninety day old, unsexed, Cobb chicks were distributed into 2 treatment groups, with 5 replicates, having 9 birds in each replicate, in a completely randomized design. The two dietary treatments consisted of corn-soy control diet and 5% supplemented insect meal-based diet. Results indicated similar (P > 0.05) body weight gain, feed intake or feed conversion ratio in chicks fed either insect meal or control diet during the experimental period. There was also no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the crude protein digestibility, cellular immunity as well as the length or weight of duodenum, jejunum, ileum and caecum between the treatments. It could be concluded that the black soldier fly prepupae meal can be incorporated at 5% in broiler diet. Thus, BSF can play a significant role in converting waste into feed and add to the feed basket in future.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barragan-Fonseca KB, Dicke M, Van Loon JJA (2017) Nutritional value of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) and its suitability as animal feed-a review. J Insects Food Feed 3:105–120. https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2016.0055

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caparros Megido R, Gierts C, Blecker C, Brostaux Y, Haubruge E, Alabi T, Francis F (2016) Consumer acceptance of insect-based alternative meat products in Western countries. Food Qual Prefer 52:237–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2016.05.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corrier DE, Deloach JR (1990) Evaluation of cell mediated, cutaneous basophilic hypersensitivity in young chickens by an inter digital skin test. Poultry Sci 69:403–408. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps.0690403

  • Craig Sheppard D, Larry Newton G, Thompson SA, Savage S (1994) A value added manure management system using the black soldier fly. Bioresour Technol 50:275–279. https://doi.org/10.1016/0960-8524(94)90102-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cullere M, Tasoniero G, Giaccone V, Miotti-Scapin R, Claeys E, De Smet S, Dalle Zotte A (2016) Black soldier fly as dietary protein source for broiler quails: apparent digestibility, excreta microbial load, feed choice, performance, carcass and meat traits. Animal 10:1923–1930. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731116001270

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dabbou S, Gai F, Biasato I, Capucchio MT, Biasibetti E, Dezzutto D, Meneguz M, Plachà I, Gasco L, Schiavone A (2018) Black soldier fly defatted meal as a dietary protein source for broiler chickens: effects on growth performance, blood traits, gut morphology and histological features. J Animal Sci Biotechnol 9:49. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-018-0266-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Marco M, Martínez S, Hernandez F, Madrid J, Gai F, Rotolo R, Belforti M, Bergero D, Katz H, Dabbou S, Kovitvadhi A, Zoccarato I, Gasco L, Schiavone A (2015) Nutritional value of two insect larval meals (Tenebrio molitor and Hermetia illucens) for broiler chickens: apparent nutrient digestibility, apparent ileal amino acid digestibility and apparent metabolizable energy. Anim Feed Sci Technol 209:211–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2015.08.006

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dierenfeld ES, King J (2008) Digestibility and mineral availability of phoenix worms, hermetia illucens, ingested by mountain chicken frogs, Leptodactylus fallax. J Herpetol Med Surg 18:100–105. https://doi.org/10.5818/1529-9651.18.3-4.100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elwert C, Knips I, Katz P (2010) A novel protein source: maggot meal of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) in broiler feed. In: M Gierus, H Kluth, M B und H K (Hrsg) (ed) Tagung Schweine- und Geflügelernährung, Institut für Agrar- und Ernährungswissenschaften, Universität Halle-Wittenberg, pp. 140–142

  • FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) (2014) Insects to feed the World. 1st International Conference, 14–17 May 2014. Wageningen (Ede), the Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Finke MD (2013) Complete nutrient content of four species of feeder insects. Zoo Biol 32:27–36. https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21012

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hale OM (1973) Dried Hermetia illucens larvae (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) as a feed additive for poultry. J Ga Entomol Soc 8:16–20

    Google Scholar 

  • ICAR (2013) Nutrient requirement of animal – poultry. Indian council of Agricultural Research-NIANP Publication, India

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawasaki K, Hashimoto Y, Hori A, Kawasaki T, Hirayasu H, Iwase S, Hashizume A, Ido A, Miura C, Miura T, Nakamura S, Seyama T, Matsumoto Y, Kasai K, Fujitani Y (2019) Evaluation of black soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae and pre-pupae raised on household organic waste, as potential ingredients for poultry feed. Animals (Basel) 9(3):98. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9030098

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelemu S, Niassy S, Torto B, Fiaboe K, Affognon H, Tonnang H, Maniania NK, Ekesi S (2015) African edible insects for food and feed: Inventory, diversity, commonalities and contribution to food security. J. Insects Food Feed 1:103–119. https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2014.0016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee J, Kim YM, Park YK, Yang YC, Jung BG, Lee BJ (2018) Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae enhances immune activities and increases survivability of broiler chicks against experimental infection of Salmonella gallinarum. J Vet Med Sci 80:736–740. https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.17-0236

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Makkar HP, Tran G, Heuzé V, Ankers P (2014) State-of-the-art on use of insects as animal feed. Anim Feed Sci Technol 197:1–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2014.07.008

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Manobhavan M, Elangovan AV, Sridhar M, Shet D, Ajith S, Pal DT, Gowda NKS (2016) Effect of super dosing of phytase on growth performance, ileal digestibility and bone characteristics in broilers fed corn–soya-based diets. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr 100:93–100

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moula N, Detilleux J (2019) A meta-analysis of the effects of insects in feed on poultry growth performances. Animals. 9:201. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9050201

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Newton L, Sheppard C, Watson DW, Burtle G, Dove R (2005) Using the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, as a value-added tool for the management of swine manure. In: Animal and poultry waste management center. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, pp 1–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen TT, Tomberlin JK, Vanlaerhoven S (2015) Ability of black soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae to recycle food waste. Environ Entomol 44:406–410. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvv002

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oluokun JA (2000) Upgrading the nutritive value of full-fat soyabean meal for broiler production with either fishmeal or black soldier fly larvae meal (Hermetia illucens). Nigerian J Anim Sci 3:2. https://doi.org/10.4314/tjas.v3i2.49768

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schiavone A, DeMarco M, Martínez S, Dabbou S, Renna M, Madrid J, Hernandez F, Rotolo L, Costa P, Gai F, Gasco L (2017) Nutritional value of a partially defatted and a highly defatted black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens L.) meal for broiler chickens: apparent nutrient digestibility, apparent metabolizable energy and apparent ileal amino acid digestibility. J Animal Sci Biotechnol 8: 897–905. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-017-0181-5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shumo M, Osuga IM, Khamis FM, Tanga CM, Fiaboe KKM, Subramanian S, Ekesi S, Van Huis A, Borgemeister C (2019) The nutritive value of black soldier fly larvae reared on common organic waste streams in Kenya. Sci Rep 9:10110. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46603-z

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Spranghers T, Ottoboni M, Klootwijk C, Ovyn A, Deboosere S, De Meulenaer B, Michiels J, Eeckhout M, De Clercq P, De Smet S (2017) Nutritional composition of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) prepupae reared on different organic waste substrates: nutritional composition of black soldier fly. J Sci Food Agric 97:2594–2600. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.8081

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Huis A, Van Itterbeck J, Klunder H, Mertens E, Halloran A, Muir G, Van Tomme P (2013) Edible insects: future prospects for food and feed security. FAO forestry, paper 171. FAO, Rome. http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3253e/i3253e00.htm

  • Wang YS, Shelomi M (2017) Review of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) as animal feed and human food. Foods 6(10):E91. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6100091

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yandigeri MS, Mohan M, Mahendiran G, Sampath Kumar M, Amala U, Ballal CR (2019) Black soldier fly – a detritivorous insect for solid waste management. ICAR News 25(3): 13

    Google Scholar 

  • Yen AL (2015) Insects as food and feed in the Asia Pacific region: current perspectives and future directions. J Insects Food Feed 1:33–55. https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2014.0017

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are thankful to Evonik India Pvt. Ltd. for amino acid analyses.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ICAR - National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560030, India

    Arumbackam Vijayarangam Elangovan, Manimaran Saravanakumar, Vaibhav Bhagwan Awachat, Anjumoni Mech, Somu Bala Nageswara Rao, Kandalam Giridhar & Raghavendra Bhatta

  2. ICAR – National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources, Bangalore, India

    Amala Udayakumar, Muthugounder Mohan, Mahesh Shankarappa Yandigeri & Selvaraj Krishnan

Authors
  1. Arumbackam Vijayarangam Elangovan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Amala Udayakumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Manimaran Saravanakumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Vaibhav Bhagwan Awachat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Muthugounder Mohan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Mahesh Shankarappa Yandigeri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Selvaraj Krishnan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Anjumoni Mech
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Somu Bala Nageswara Rao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Kandalam Giridhar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Raghavendra Bhatta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Arumbackam Vijayarangam Elangovan.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interests

Authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Elangovan, A.V., Udayakumar, A., Saravanakumar, M. et al. Effect of black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus) prepupae meal on growth performance and gut development in broiler chicken. Int J Trop Insect Sci 41, 2077–2082 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-020-00377-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-020-00377-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation