CELLOW-FeeP project: growth performance of poultry fed live black soldier fly larvae

The use of insects in animal feed has a great potential in poultry production and could help to mitigate negative impacts of soybean production. In the frame of the CELLOW-FeeP (Circular Economy: Live Larvae recycling Organic Waste for rural Poultry) project, black soldier (Hermetia illucens) live larvae (BSFL) were produced on a local organic waste-based diet, and fed to 14 days-old intermediate-growing chickens (Label Naked Neck, individually labelled) for 68 days. Experimental treatments were as follow: (1) control diet (C), commercial feed; (2) HI10, C + BSFL corresponding to 10% of the expected daily feed intake (DFI); and (3) HI20, C + BSFL corresponding to 20% of DFI. The C diets was distributed ad libitum in all the treatments. All treatments were randomly allocated to 4 pens (7 birds / pen) and data on feed ingestion recorded. Birds were individually weighted (BW) at the beginning of the trial, every two weeks, and at the end of the trial (82 days of age). Feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated. Analysis of variance was performed using the software SAS 9.4 (P<0.05). Diet and age affected all the growth parameters (P<0.001). Moreover, FCR was affected by the diet × age interaction (P=0.024), with the lowest value being recorded in the HI20 treatment from 21 to 82 days of age. Diet affected the final BW (P<0.001), with birds fed HI20 diet showing the highest value. The CELLOW-FeeP research (Project n. 2019-1944) received the support of Fondazione Cariplo (Italy).