Use of protein from black soldier flies in poultry feed

Description

Successful inclusion of black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) in the diet of broilers and laying hens requires a precise determination of its nutritional value. These issues are discussed in the first part of this chapter together with the current understanding of amino acid content, amino acid digestibility and metabolizable energy of BSFLM. The chapter continues with an overview of the effects of dietary inclusion of different types of BSFLM on the performance and health of broilers and laying hens. The chapter concludes with an assessment of the current use of insects as feed and the future prospects of these promising alternative protein sources in poultry feed.

Table of contents

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Nutritional value of black soldier fly larvae meal in poultry diets: crude protein content
• 3 Chitin and fibre content of black soldier fly larvae meal
• 4 Amino acid digestibility and metabolizable energy
• 5 Including black soldier fly larvae meal in the diet of broilers
• 6 Including black soldier fly larvae meal in the diet of laying hens
• 7 Effects of black soldier fly larvae meal on poultry health
• 8 Current use of insects as feed and future trends
• 9 Conclusion
• 10 Where to look for further information
• 11 References