Evaluation of amino acid digestibility of black soldier fly larvae reared on different substrates in caecectomised laying hens
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The chemical composition and amino acid (AA) digestibility were determined in black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) reared on the substrates chicken feed (BSFLChicken feed), tofu residue (BSFLTofu residue), cassava pulp (BSFLCassava pulp), and pineapple peel (BSFLPineapple peel). Ten cecectomized laying hens were individually housed in metabolism cages and fed either a basal diet or four other diets, each containing one of the insect meals. Diets and hens were arranged in a duplicate 5 × 5 Latin square design. In each period, the laying hens were fed their respective diet for 8 days, and excreta samples were quantitatively collected twice daily from days 5 to 8. Crude protein contents were highest in BSFLPineapple peel (536 g/kg dry matter (DM)) and lowest in BSFLCassava pulp (428 g/kg DM). Fat contents were greatest in BSFLChicken feed (357 g/kg DM) and lowest in BSFLPineapple peel (76 g/kg DM). The estimated chitin contents were greater in BSFLPineapple peel (59 g/kg DM) than BSFLChicken feed, BSFLTofu residue and BSFLCassava pulp (48, 46, and 42 g/kg DM, respectively). The contents of almost all essential AA were greatest in BSFLTofu residue, whereas the lowest contents of almost all essential AA were observed in BSFLCassava pulp. Differences in digestibility between BSFLChicken feed and BSFLPineapple peel were significant for all AA (p < 0.05), except for histidine, with an average range in digestibility of 8.2%-units. This study demonstrated that the feeding substrate of BSFL impacted the feeding value of BSFL, including concentrations of relevant nutrients and AA digestibility.
Language: English
Subfield: Insect Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,590
OpenAlex ID: W4410535202