Insects: a protein-rich feed ingredient in pig and poultry diets

Abstract

The use of insects as a sustainable protein-rich feed ingredient in pig and poultry diets is technically feasible. Insects can turn lowgrade biowaste into proteins. • The amino acid profile of yellow mealworm, common housefly, and black soldier fly is close to the profile of soybean meal with methionine or methionine + cystine, which are generally the most limiting essential amino acids for growing pigs and broilers. Arginine can also become a limiting essential amino acid for broilers fed housefly pupae and mealworm. • Additional research is recommended on digestibility of (processed) insects, inclusion levels in poultry and pig diets, functional properties, safety when using biowaste as a rearing substrate, extraction of nutrients, shelf life, and use of left-over substrates and residue products of insects. • To compete with conventional protein sources and become an interesting link in the animal feed chain to fulfil the globally increasing demand for protein, cost price of insect production and processing should be further reduced.