Effect of dietary lupine seeds (Lupinus luteus L.) and different insect larvae meals as protein sources in broiler chicken diet on growth performance, carcass, and meat quality

Abstract

The present study was conducted to determine whether soybean meal (SBM) can be entirely replaced by a combination of lupine seeds and insect larvae meal as protein sources in a grower diet provided to broiler chickens during 21 to 42 d of life. The experiment involved 160 male broiler chickens. At 3 wk of age, broiler chickens were randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments with 4 replicate pens per treatment and 8 broiler chickens per pen. Dietary treatments were: corn soybean meal control (CON), replacing 60% SBM with low-alkaloid yellow lupine seeds (Lup; Lup - SBM group), and replacing 100% of SBM with Lup, and full-fat insect meals from silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupae (Lup - BMM), mealworm (Tenebrio molitor; Lup - TMM) or superworm larvae (Zophobas morio; Lup - ZMM). No differences in the final body weight (42 d), and daily body weight gain (21 to 42 d) were found between broiler chickens fed the diets containing lupine in combination with soybean meal, silkworm or mealworm compared to those on the soybean meal diet. In contrast, broiler chickens from Lup - ZMM group had a lower body weight and weight gains compared with those from all other groups (P ≤ 0.01). The best feed conversion ratio (FCR) was found in broiler chickens of the Lup - TMM treatment (P < 0.05). Total replacement of SBM from broiler chickens diets had no effect on the relative weights of the liver and heart, but the gizzard weight was greater (P ≤ 0.05) in broiler chickens fed with lupine and insects larvae meal (ILM) - containing diets in comparison with both the CON and Lup - SBM diets. The crude protein content of the breast meat in broiler chickens fed on Lup - ZMM diet was greater (P ≤ 0.05) than in meat of broiler chicken fed the CON diet. Sensory evaluation of the cooked meat from broiler chicken receiving diets with Lup and SBM or Lup and ILM did not reveal any differences in meat quality traits. The results indicated that in grower diets SBM can be replaced by Lup in combination, with BMM or TMM without compromising in production and slaughter performances and sensory quality of broiler chickens meat after conventional cooking. The inclusion of Lup and 250 g/kg of ZMM to broiler chicken grower diet is not recommended, because adversely affected broiler chickens growth performance.