Vol. 9, Special Issue 3 (2024)

Author(s): Butani JB, Patel VR and Raval AP

Abstract: Recently, poultry producers in developing countries are facing problems of high cost and poor quality of poultry feed. Insects could be a potential replacement of protein rich ingredients in poultry diets. The use of insects as poultry feed is not in direct competition with human being for food consumption. The objective of this paper is to review the current work related to the use of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae meal as an alternative protein source in poultry feeding. Black soldier fly is a harmless insect acting as an alternative protein source in animal feeding and grown in the disposal of organic wastes, by-products and side streams. The results of numerous studies showed that BSF larvae meal could safely and economically be used as protein source in poultry ration. BSF larva contains high calcium and phosphorus and about 35-42% crude protein with high biological value and comparable amino acid profile to that of soybean meal (SBM). The lysine and methionine contents of BSF larva are comparable to that of fish meal. Many authors suggested that BSF larvae meal could replace a fish meal or upgrade the nutritive value of SBM in broiler diets without any adverse effect on the production performance. The use of BSF larvae in layers diet resulted in enhanced laying performance and egg qualities. Generally, all the available literature confirms the feasibility of total or partial replacement of fish meal and SBM with BSF larvae meal without any negative effects. Most of the publications reviewed indicated that the growth of chicks fed with BSF larvae meal was either equivalent or superior to SBM in nutritive value as measured by the production performance of growing and laying birds. Therefore, inclusion of BSF larvae meal into the poultry feeding system has both economic and environmental benefits for sustainable poultry production.