Substitution of fish meal with black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) meal to eggs production and physical quality of quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) eggs

Abstract

This study was aimed to identify the effect of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal addition to the quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) egg production and physical quality. The material used in this study was a 6-week-old female quail totaling 120 birds kept for seven weeks. This study employed an experimental method and a completely randomized design. The addition of BSFL meal consisted of four different treatments with five replications of each treatment, i.e. P0: Ration without addition BSFL meal; P1: 3.18% BSFL meal (6.67% fish meal crude protein); P2: 6.37% BSFL meal (3.34% fish meal crude protein); P3: 9.56% BSFL meal (0% fish meal crude protein). The observed variables were egg production and the physical quality of quail eggs. The results of the study indicated that BSFL meal addition in quail did not significantly affect (P >0.05) on egg weight, haugh unit, egg yolk index and egg yolk color. Conversely, the addition of BSFL meal significantly affected (P<0.05) on egg production and eggshell thickness. The egg production of treatment eggs P0 and P1 was significantly (P <0.05) higher than P2 and P3. Egg production of P0 and P1 was significantly higher (P<0.05) than P2 and P3. The eggshell thickness of P0, P1 and P2 were significantly higher (P<0.05) than P3. The addition of BSFL meal at the concentration of 9.56% substituting 100% fish meal in quail feed did not affect negatively the egg weight, haugh unit, yolk index, and yolk color.