Background: Two trials were performed to evaluate a partially defatted Hermetia illucens (HI) larvae meal as potential feed ingredient in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum) diets. In the ...first trial, 360 trout (178.9 ± 9.8 g of mean initial body weight) were randomly divided into three experimental groups (4 tanks/treatment, 30 fish/tank). The fish were fed for 78 days with isonitrogenous, isolipidic and isoenergetic diets containing increasing levels of HI, on as fed basis: 0% (HI0, control diet), 25% (HI25) and 50% (HI50) of fish meal substitution, corresponding to dietary inclusion levels of 0, 20% and 40%. In the second trial, 36 trout (4 tanks/treatment, 3 fish/tank) were used to evaluate the in vivo apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of the same diets used in the first trial.Results: Survival, growth performance, condition factor, somatic indexes, and dorsal fillet physical quality parameters were not affected by diet. The highest dietary inclusion of HI larvae meal increased dry matter and ether extract contents of trout dorsal fillet. The use of HI larvae meal induced a decrease of valuable polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) even if differences were only reported at the highest level of HI inclusion. The insect meal worsened the lipids health indexes of the same muscle. Dietary inclusion of insect meal did not alter the villus height of the fish. No differences were found among treatments in relation to ADC of ether extract and gross energy, while ADC of dry matter and crude protein were higher in HI25 if compared to HI50.Conclusions: The obtained results showed that a partially defatted HI larvae meal can be used as feed ingredient in trout diets up to 40% of inclusion level without impacting survival, growth performance, condition factor, somatic indexes, dorsal fillet physical quality parameters, and intestinal morphology of the fish. However, further investigations on specific feeding strategies and diet formulations are needed to limit the observed negative effects of the insect meal on the FA composition of dorsal muscle.
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Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Finding insect meals as alternative sources of poultry feedstuffs is a recent research topic; therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia ...illucens L., HI) larvae meal in broiler chicken diets on the carcass characteristics and meat quality parameters, proximate composition, fatty acid profile and the heavy metal content of the breast meat. Four dietary treatments were designed: a control diet (HI0) and three experimental diets (HI5, HI10 and HI15), corresponding to 50, 100 and 150 g/kg HI inclusion levels, respectively. The inclusion of 50, 100 and 150 g HI meal per kg feed supply 16.56%, 33.01% and 49.63% of required crude protein. The broilers were slaughtered at day 35, the carcasses were weighed and the breast muscles were excised from 16 birds per each feeding group (two birds per replicate pens) and used for meat quality evaluation. Linear and quadratic responses were observed, for increasing HI meal levels, in the live and carcass weights (maximum for HI10). As far as the colour of the breast meat is concerned, redness (a*) showed a linear response, while yellowness (b*) linearly decreased with increasing HI meal levels (minimum for HI15). As the HI larvae meal increased in the diets, the moisture content linearly decreased and the protein content increased. The total saturated fatty acid and total monounsaturated fatty acid proportions rose to the detriment of the polyunsaturated fatty acid fraction. The HI larvae meal, used in the current study, represents a valuable protein source for broiler chickens when included by up to 100 g/kg in their diets, as an improved slaughtering performance was observed without any detrimental effects on meat quality parameters or heavy metal residues in the meat.
Abstract
The insect market is still far from an effective upscale and, to achieve this goal, it is necessary to know the BSF dietary requirements for the production maximization. Worldwide, given the ...waste variability, is not always easy to identify the optimal waste-based mixture that can allow to reach the best production, in terms of quantity and quality. Due this reason, nutritional need ranges are the basic knowledge, affordable for everyone, to increase the profitability of the insect farming. The study aims to evaluate the effects of 6 semi-purified, isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets (SPII) with increasing lipid levels (1%, L1; 1.5%, L1.5; 2.5%, L2.5; 3.5% L3.5; 4.5%, L4.5) on BSF life history traits (6 replicates/treatment and 100 larvae/replicate). The Gainesville diet was used as environmental control. Considering the whole larval stage, 4.5% lipid level guarantees better performance when compared to content lower than 2.5%. The L4.5 10-day-old larvae yielded greater when compared to the other dietary treatments. At 14 and 18 days of age, the larvae of the groups above 2.5% performed better than L1, while the L1.5 showed intermediate results. Lipid levels below 1.5% on DM, when compared to 4.5%, resulted in a smaller prepupa and pupa size. The results obtained on the adult stage do not allow the identification of a lipid levels ideal range, as in the larval stage. In conclusion, in the whole larval stage and in prepupae/pupae phases, lipid percentage lower than (or equal to) 1% have a negative effect on growth. Other research will be needed in order to evaluate lipid levels above 4.5% on DM.
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of Tenebrio molitor (TM) larvae meal inclusion in diets for broilers. A total of 160 male broiler chicks (Ross 708) at one-day of age were randomly allotted ...to four dietary treatments: a control (C) group and three TM groups, in which TM meal was included at 50 (TM5), 100 (TM10), and 150 (TM15) g/kg, respectively. The experimental diets were isonitrogenous and isoenergetic. Each group consisted of five pens as replicates (8 chicks/pen). After the evaluation of growth performance and haematochemical parameters, the animals were slaughtered at 53 days and carcass traits were recorded. Morphometric investigations were performed on duodenum, jejunum, and ileum and histopathological alterations were assessed for liver, spleen, thymus, bursa of Fabricius, kidney, and heart. The live weight (LW) showed a linear (12 and 25 days, P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, maximum with TM15 and TM10) and quadratic (53 days, P < 0.05, maximum with TM5) response to dietary TM meal inclusion. A linear (1 to 12 and 12 to 25 days, P < 0.001, maximum with TM15) and quadratic (12 to 25 days, P = 0.001, maximum with TM15) effect was also observed for the daily feed intake (DFI). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) showed a linear response (25 to 53 and 1 to 53 days, P = 0.001 and P < 0.05, maximum with TM15). Haematological and serum biochemical traits, carcass traits and histopathological findings were not affected by dietary TM meal inclusion (P > 0.05). TM15 birds showed lower villus height (P < 0.05), higher crypt depth (P < 0.05), and lower villus height to crypt depth ratio (P = 0.001) compared with C and TM5. In conclusion, increasing levels of dietary TM meal inclusion in male broiler chickens may improve body weight and feed intake, but negatively affect feed efficiency and intestinal morphology, thus suggesting that low levels may be more suitable. However, no effect on haematochemical parameters, carcass traits, and histological findings were observed in relation to TM meal utilization.
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of partial or total replacement of finisher diet soybean oil with black soldier fly (Hermethia illucens L.; HI) larva fat on the growth ...performance, carcass traits, blood parameters, intestinal morphology and histological features of broiler chickens. At 21 days of age, a total of 120 male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to three experimental groups (five replicates and eight birds/pen). To a basal control diet (C; 68.7 g/kg as fed of soybean oil), either 50% or 100% of the soybean oil was replaced with HI larva fat (HI50 and HI100 group, respectively). Growth performance was evaluated throughout the trial. At day 48, 15 birds (three birds/pen) per group were slaughtered at a commercial abattoir. Carcass yield and proportions of carcass elements were recorded. Blood samples were taken from each slaughtered chicken for haematochemical index determination. Morphometric analyses were performed on the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Samples of liver, spleen, thymus, bursa of fabricius, kidney and heart were submitted to histological investigations. Growth performance, carcass traits, haematochemical parameters and gut morphometric indexes were not influenced by the dietary inclusion of HI larva fat. Histopathological alterations developed in the spleen, thymus, bursa of fabricius and liver and were identified in all of the experimental groups, but HI larva fat inclusion did not significantly affect (P>0.05) the severity of the histopathological findings. The present study suggests that 50% or 100% replacement of soybean oil with HI larva fat in broiler chickens diets has no adverse effects on growth performance or blood parameters and had no beneficial effect on gut health.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of partially defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, HI) larva meal on the carcass characteristics and meat quality of Muscovy ducks (Cairina ...moschata domestica). A total of 192 female ducks aged 3 d were divided between 4 dietary treatments (6 pens/treatment; 8 birds/pen), characterized by increasing levels of substitution of corn gluten meal with HI meal (0%, 3%, 6%, and 9%; HI0, HI3, HI6, and HI9, respectively), and reared until 50 days of age. Twelve birds/treatment (2 birds/pen) were slaughtered on d 51 to evaluate the slaughter traits (i.e., carcass, breast, thigh, and organs weights), carcass yield and meat quality. The slaughter weight, hot and chilled carcass weights, and abdominal fat weight showed a quadratic response to HI meal (minimum for the HI6 group, P < 0.05). Dietary HI meal inclusion did not influence the ultimate pH, the color, the proximate composition or the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values in either the breast or thigh meat. The mineral profile of the meat was slightly affected by the dietary treatment, with a linear increase in the Cu content of the thigh meat (P < 0.05), whereas no differences were observed for Zn, Mn, or Fe. Dietary HI meal inclusion increased the saturated fatty acid rate in the thigh meat (maximum for the HI9 group, P < 0.05), and the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid content in the breast meat (maximum for the HI0 and HI9 groups, respectively, P < 0.05). The ∑n-6/∑n-3 ratio decreased linearly in both the breast and thigh meat, with the HI9 group showing the lowest values (P < 0.05). Finally, the heavy metal concentrations were below the EU limits for poultry meat. To conclude, the inclusion up to 9% of partially defatted HI larva meal in the diet of Muscovy ducks did not affect the slaughter traits or the meat quality, although it did affect the meat fatty acid profile.
•Does rearing scale impact black soldier fly (BSF) farming on different substrates?•Can wheat starch processing by-products be used as rearing substrates for BSF?•Medium (M)- and large (L)-scale ...rearing are preferable to test novel feeds for BSF.•Wheat starch processing by-products are suboptimal rearing substrates for BSF.•The best by-product-based diets can mainly be identified at M and L scales.
Rearing scale may influence black soldier fly (BSF) larvae traits when they are fed on a single diet, but different feeding substrates have not been tested yet. This study evaluated the effects of wheat starch processing by-products-based diets on growth performance, bioconversion efficiency, and nutritional profile of BSF larvae reared in different scales. Four diets (D1 and D2 isonitrogenous, isolipidic and isoenergetic; D3 and D4 displaying 1:1 and 1:2 as protein to carbohydrate ratios, respectively) were tested at 3 rearing scales (4 replicate boxes/diet, with a constant volume 0.84 cm3/larva and feed 0.7 g/larva): 1) small (S; 12 × 12 cm, substrate height: 4 cm, 686 6-day-old larvae (6-DOL)/box), 2) medium (M, 32 × 21 cm, substrate height: 7 cm, 5 600 6-DOL/box), and 3) large (L, 60 × 40 cm, substrate height: 7 cm, 20 000 6-DOL/box). Larval weight was recorded at the beginning of trial and every 4 days, and growth rate (GR), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), survival, bioconversion efficiency corrected for residue (BER), reduction rate (RR), and waste reduction index (WRI) calculated at the end of larval growth (frass DM ≥ 55%). Substrate pH, T and height were measured at the beginning, every 4 days, and end of trial. Larval proximate composition was analysed at the end of trial. Data were analysed by generalised linear mixed model (SPSS software, P < 0.05). The D1 larvae showed higher weight, GR, SGR and WRI (along with higher substrate T) than D2 at M scale, while increased SGR and FCR – as well as decreased survival, RR and WRI – were observed in D2 larvae at S scale (P < 0.05). Larval CP and ether extract (EE) contents were influenced by M and L scales only, being higher in D2 group than in D1 (P < 0.001). Differently, decreased ash was recorded in D2 larvae when reared at S and M scales, while L scale revealed higher ash in D2 group than D1 (P < 0.001). The D3 larvae displayed greater weight, SGR, survival, RR and WRI (along with greater substrate T) than D4 at M scale, with increased survival and substrate T being also highlighted in L scale (P < 0.05). The D3 larvae also showed lower DM and EE – as well as higher CP – than D4 at all the rearing scales (P < 0.001). In conclusion, D1 and D3 led to better BSF larval growth performance, bioconversion efficiency and nutritional profile mainly at M and L scales, as a consequence of their ability to facilitate larval aggregation and, in turn, allow achieving a higher substrate T.
This study evaluated the effects of a diet containing yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.; TM) larva meal on quality parameters (pH24, color and drip losses), proximate composition and fatty acid ...(FA) profile of meat from free-range chickens. A total of 140 medium-growing hybrid female chickens were free-range reared and randomly allotted to two dietary treatments: a control group and a TM group, in which TM meal was included at 75 g kg−1 as fed in substitution of corn gluten meal. Each group consisted of five pens as replicates, with 14 chicks per pen. At 97 days of age, ten birds (two birds/pen) from each feeding group were slaughtered at a commercial abattoir. Quality parameters and proximate composition of breast and thigh meat were not affected by treatment. The effects of dietary TM larva meal on the FA profile of thigh meat were negligible. Breast meat from TM-fed chickens showed higher oleic and α-linolenic acid percentages as well as lower atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indexes. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that TM inclusion in diets for free-range chickens did not prejudice meat quality traits. The obtained results confirm that TM can be considered a promising insect protein source for the poultry feed industry.
•Effects of Tenebrio molitor (TM) larvae meal in diets of female broiler chickens.•Partially positive TM effects on bird performance and blood parameters.•No TM effects on gut morphology and ...histological traits.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the animal performance, haematochemical parameters, intestinal morphology and histological features of broiler chickens fed diets including Tenebrio molitor (TM) larvae meal. A total of 160 female broiler chicks (Ross 708) at one-day of age were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments: a control (C) group and three TM groups, in which TM meal was included at 50 (TM50), 100 (TM100) and 150 (TM150) g/kg, respectively. Each group consisted of five pens as replicates, with eight chicks per pen. After the evaluation of growth performance and haematochemical parameters, two birds per pen were slaughtered at 40days and carcass traits were recorded. Morphometric investigations were performed on duodenum, jejunum and ileum and histopathological alterations were assessed for liver, spleen, thymus, bursa of Fabricius, kidney and heart. The live weight (LW) showed a linear (12days, P<0.05, maximum with TM150) and quadratic response (40days, P<0.05, maximum with TM50) to dietary TM meal inclusion. The average daily gain (ADG) showed a linear increase (1-12days, P<0.05, maximum with TM150) in response to TM meal utilization. A linear effect (1–12 and 12–25days, P<0.01 and P<0.05, maximum with TM150 and TM50) was observed for the daily feed intake (DFI). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) showed a linear response to TM utilization in the period 12–25days (P<0.01, maximum with TM150). A quadratic effect (P<0.05, maximum with TM50) was observed for the carcass weight. The abdominal fat weight and percentage showed a linear response to dietary TM meal inclusion (P<0.05 and P<0.01, maximum with TM150 and TM100). A quadratic increase (P<0.05, maximum with TM100) was observed for the erythrocytes, while the albumin and GGT showed a linear and quadratic decrease (P<0.05, minimum with TM100) in relation to TM utilization. Gut morphology and histopathological findings were not significantly influenced (P>0.05) by dietary TM meal inclusion. The present study suggests that increasing levels of dietary TM meal inclusion in female broiler chickens diets may improve body weight and feed intake, but can partially worsen feed efficiency. However, positive effects on carcass traits and haematochemical parameters related to TM meal utilization are observed, along with no negative influence on gut morphology and histological findings.
Summary
Insects are currently being considered as a novel protein source for animal feeds, because they contain a large amount of protein. The larvae of Tenebrio molitor (TM) have been shown to be an ...acceptable protein source for broiler chickens in terms of growth performance, but till now, no data on histological or intestinal morphometric features have been reported. This study has had the aim of evaluating the effects of dietary TM inclusion on the performance, welfare, intestinal morphology and histological features of free‐range chickens. A total of 140 medium‐growing hybrid female chickens were free‐range reared and randomly allotted to two dietary treatments: (i) a control group and (ii) a TM group, in which TM meal was included at 75 g/kg. Each group consisted of five pens as replicates, with 14 chicks per pen. Growth performance, haematological and serum parameters and welfare indicators were evaluated, and the animals were slaughtered at the age of 97 days. Two birds per pen (10 birds/treatment) were submitted to histological (liver, spleen, thymus, bursa of Fabricius, kidney, heart, glandular stomach and gut) and morphometric (duodenum, jejunum and ileum) investigations. The inclusion of TM did not affect the growth performance, haematological or serum parameters. The morphometric and histological features were not significantly affected either, thus suggesting no influence on nutrient metabolization, performance or animal health. Glandular stomach alterations (chronic flogosis with epithelial squamous metaplasia) were considered paraphysiological in relation to free‐range farming. The observed chronic intestinal flogosis, with concomitant activation of the lymphoid tissue, was probably due to previous parasitic infections, which are very frequently detected in free‐range chickens. In conclusion, the findings of this study show that yellow mealworm inclusion does not affect the welfare, productive performances or morphological features of free‐range chickens, thus confirming that TM can be used safely in poultry diets.