Big Opportunities for Tiny Bugs: Rush to Boost Laying Hen Performance Using Black Soldier Fly Larvae Meal

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dc.contributor.authorWamai, Linus K.
dc.contributor.authorMunga, Leonard M.
dc.contributor.authorOsuga, Isaac M.
dc.contributor.authorMunguti, Jonathan M.
dc.contributor.authorSubramanian, Sevgan
dc.contributor.authorKidoido, Michael K.
dc.contributor.authorGhemoh, Janice C.
dc.contributor.authorMwendia, Charles M.
dc.contributor.authorTanga, Chrysantus M.
dc.date.accessioned2024-02-26T06:03:16Z
dc.date.available2024-02-26T06:03:16Z
dc.date.issued2023-12-29
dc.descriptionarticleen_US
dc.description.abstractRising 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.en_US
dc.identifier.citationLinus 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/toad230en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toad230
dc.identifier.urihttps://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/27678
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherOxford University Pressen_US
dc.subjectblack soldier flyen_US
dc.subjectinsect proteinen_US
dc.subjectalternative poultry feeden_US
dc.subjectISA Brown chickenen_US
dc.subjectprofitabilityen_US
dc.titleBig Opportunities for Tiny Bugs: Rush to Boost Laying Hen Performance Using Black Soldier Fly Larvae Mealen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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