Big Opportunities for Tiny Bugs: Rush to Boost Laying Hen Performance Using Black Soldier Fly Larvae Meal
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Date
2023-12-29
Authors
Wamai, Linus K.
Munga, Leonard M.
Osuga, Isaac M.
Munguti, Jonathan M.
Subramanian, Sevgan
Kidoido, Michael K.
Ghemoh, Janice C.
Mwendia, Charles M.
Tanga, Chrysantus M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Abstract
Rising feed cost challenges due to expensive conventional protein sources continue to make headlines in Africa
causing drops in profit margins. We assessed the impact of insect (Hermetia illucens Linnaeus larvae meal,
HILM) protein as a substitute for soybean meal and sunflower seed cake on layer chicken performance and
profitability. Our results showed that apart from the growers, chicks (12.37 g/bird) and layer hens (2.02 g/bird)
fed diets with 75% HILM inclusion levels had significantly higher average daily weight gain. The average daily
feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) varied significantly when the chicks and layer hens were provided with the HILM-based diets. For the chicks and layer hens, the lowest ADFI and FCR were observed in birds
subjected to diets with 75% and 100% HILM compared to the growers fed diets with 50% HILM. Significantly
higher egg production was observed for layer hens fed diets containing 75% of HILM throughout the first
(87.41%) and second (83.05%) phase production cycles. Layer hens fed HILM-based diets had a 3–10% increase
in egg laying percentage. There was higher profit margins when birds were fed diets containing 75% of HILM
(~1.83 and 5.98 US$ per bird), which mirrored the return on investment estimated at 63.95% and 33.36% for the
pullets (growers) and laying hen, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that diets with 75% HILM provided
optimum growth performance, reduced feeding costs, increased weight gain and egg production as well as
improved economic returns for commercial on-farm poultry production systems.
Description
article
Keywords
black soldier fly, insect protein, alternative poultry feed, ISA Brown chicken, profitability
Citation
Linus K Wamai, Leonard M Munga, Isaac M Osuga, Jonathan M Munguti, Sevgan Subramanian, Michael K Kidoido, Janice C Ghemoh, Charles M Mwendia, Chrysantus M Tanga, Big opportunities for tiny bugs: rush to boost laying hen performance using black soldier fly larvae meal, Journal of Economic Entomology, Volume 117, Issue 1, February 2024, Pages 58–72, https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toad230