Feed and animal nutrition: insect as animal feed

Abstract

In the last ten years, insects have been widely recognized for food and feed. Many studies using insects (Black soldier fly, cricket and silkworm pupae) as feed to explore their nutritional value and apply it in some animal rations as an alternative source of protein and fat. Data showed that Black soldier fly (BSF) has high protein and fat, especially lauric acid which potential as an antibacterial pathogen. In vitro study showed that BSF extracted could phagocyte 99% of pathogen bacteria such as E coli and S aureus. Meanwhile, cricket has also high fat and protein, including glutamic acid for brain development, and mineral Fe has to support hemoglobin synthesis. Silkworm pupae contain 67.48% of unsaturated fatty acid with linoleic acid (omega 6) and linolenic acid (omega 3) which very good as a steroid hormone precursor. Application insects to substitute imported ingredients (Casein, fish, meat bone, and soybean meal) in poultry diets resulted in a good performance and the animal still healthy with low mortality. The BSF and cricket meal as part of milk replacer could produce ADG of pre-weaning goat/sheep around 100-120 g/h/d, meanwhile if those ingredients are used as part of creep feed, the daily gain of post-weaning goat/sheep could be more than 150 g/h/d. Application of silkworm meal as a substitute for the fish meal could improve egg quality and quantity of laying quail. It was concluded that insects have the potential to be used as a protein source in the poultry and pre-weaning small ruminant rations without any negative effect on the animal.