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Black Soldier Fly Larva Fat in Broiler Chicken Diets Affects Breast Meat Quality
This study aimed to evaluate the dose-dependent effect of black soldier fly (BFL) larvae fat inclusion in broiler chicken diets on breast meat quality. Four hundred 1-day-old male birds (Ross 308) were assigned to the following four treatments (10 replicates with 10 birds each): HI0, a basal diet without dietary fat inclusion, and HI03, HI06, and HI09, basal diets enriched with 30 g/kg, 60 g/kg, and 90 g/kg of BSF larvae fat, respectively. Principal component analysis showed noticeable differentiation between the selected plant, animal, and insect-origin dietary fats. The BSF fat exhibits a strong relationship with saturated fatty acids (SFAs), resulting in a high concentration of C12:0 and C14:0. The fatty acid (FA) profile in breast muscle obtained from broilers fed diets with increasing insect fat inclusion showed a significant linear effect in terms of C12:0, C15:0, C18:2, C18:3n6, and total FAs. The proportion of dietary insect fat had a quadratic effect on meat color. The water-holding capacity indices have stayed consistent with the meat color changes. Throughout the experiment, favorable growth performance results were noticed in HI06. The present study confirmed that BSF larvae fat negatively affects the n3 level in meat. However, the physicochemical indices related to consumer acceptance were not altered to negatively limit their final decision, even when a relatively high inclusion of insect fat was used.
Black Soldier Fly Meal as a Gastrointestinal Tract Microbiota Remodelling Factor: A New Natural and Sustainable Source of Prebiotic Substances for Fish?
The microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) plays a crucial role in the development, lifespan, physiology, barrier functions and immunity against pathogens in fish. One of the significant causes of fish mortality in production systems, which also generates huge financial losses, is pathogenic dieseases. Consequently, effectively managing disruptions in the microbiota could play a crucial role in mitigating economic losses across the sector. It was investigated the effect of an alternative raw material increasing inclusion—full‐fat Hermetia illucens larvae meal on the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiome of Atlantic salmon. Thus, five experimental feeds were prepared: a control diet (CON) without the addition of black soldier fly full‐fat meal (BSFM) and with 30% fish meal (FM); BSFM5, with 5% addition of full‐fat BSFM and 27.1% FM; BSFM10, with 10% full‐fat BSFM and 24.3% FM; BSFM15, with 15% addition of full‐fat BSFM and 21.3% FM; and BSFM20, with 20% addition of full‐fat BSFM and 18.6% FM. After 60 days of growth experiment on Atlantic salmon presmolts, the contents of two sections of the GIT, proximal and distal, were gently sampled and subjected to next‐generation sequencing (NGS) to analyse the microbial populations. No significant differences were observed in the microbial compositions of the groups, irrespective of the intestinal section analysed. In the proximal and distal intestine, the CON group exhibited the highest number of distinct phyla. Increasing the inclusion of BSFM in the diet led to a reduction in the abundance of specific phyla. Similar results were noted at genus level. The BSFM5 and BSFM10 groups showed increase number in Enterococcus, while the Lactobacillus population were maintained at a high level. Due to abovementioned changes as well as the increased share of Bacilli populations, it may be concluded that up to 20% BSFM shares may have positive microbiota‐modulating effects. Thus, BSFM may be considered not only as a nutrient source but a functional feed material in fish diets also, due to its prebiotic effects observed in the study.
Black Soldier Fly Full-Fat Meal in Atlantic Salmon Nutrition – Part A: Effects on Growth Performance, Feed Utilization, Selected Nutriphysiological Traits and Production Sustainability in Fries
Abstract Black soldier fly larva meal (BSFM) application as an innovative feed material has been developed in aquaculture nutrition. However, recent scientific literature is still lacking in the case of insect meal effects on different stages of salmonid fish, and the vast majority of research is focused on farmed Atlantic salmon. Therefore, the holistic approach was undertaken in the cycle of two studies carried out: on fries and pre-smolts. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of fish meal (FM) replacement by full-fat BSFM in Atlantic salmon fry diets on the growth performance, feed utilization, crude protein and crude fat digestibility, somatic indices, histomorphology of intestines, and environmental sustainability. Additionally, pellet quality was assessed. Two experiments were performed on 360 Atlantic salmon fries – each of which lasted 60 days. For the first experiment, 240 individuals were distributed to four experimental groups: six replicates (tanks) per group and 10 fish per tank. For the second experiment, 120 individuals were distributed to four experimental groups: three replicates (tanks) per group and 10 fish per tank were used. The following groups were applied: CON – without the addition of full-fat BSFM and with 39% FM; BSFM5 – with 5% addition of full-fat BSFM and 36.1% FM; BSFM10 – with 10% full-fat BSFM and 33.3% FM; BSFM15 – with 15% addition of full-fat BSFM and 30.3% FM. The present study showed satisfactory results of BSFM inclusion at the levels of 5% and 10% as a replacement for fish meal in feeds for Atlantic salmon fries. No negative effects on growth performance, feed utilization, protein and fat digestibility, or intestinal structure were recorded. Simultaneously, insect meal inclusion in Atlantic salmon diets significantly improved the environmental sustainability of the feed. In the case of BSFM15, decreases in body weight gain, protein lipid efficiency ratio, and lipid efficiency ratio, as well as increases in feed conversion ratio, were observed. Therefore, the use of shares higher than 10% of BSFM in Atlantic salmon fries may not be recommended.
Black Soldier Fly Full-Fat Meal in Atlantic Salmon Nutrition – Part B: Effects on Growth Performance, Feed Utilization, Selected Nutriphysiological Traits and Production Sustainability in Pre-Smolts
Abstract Black soldier larva meal (BSFM) seems to be a competitive protein and fat source for widely used fish meal (FM) and fish oil. Because of the still present problem of overfished seas and oceans for feed purposes, even a low substitution of the mentioned feed materials could have a positive impact on the environment. Due to the specificity of salmon metabolic processes, with particular attention to smoltification and the various requirements for nutrients related to individual stages, it is important to implement similar dietary inclusion levels of innovative feed materials in different life stages of Atlantic salmon. Thus, a holistic approach was undertaken in the cycle of two studies carried out: on fries and pre-smolts. This study aims to evaluate the effect of FM replacement by full-fat BSFM in Atlantic salmon pre-smolt diets on growth performance, feed utilization, somatic indices, histomorphology of intestines, colorimetric assessment and raw meat quality, as well as environmental sustainability. The following groups were applied: CON – without addition of full-fat BSFM and with 30% FM; BSFM5 – with 5% addition of full-fat BSFM and 27.1% FM; BSFM10 – with 10% full-fat BSFM and 24.3% FM; and BSFM15 – with 15% addition of full-fat BSFM and 21.3% FM. The present study showed satisfactory results of BSFM inclusion up to 15% as a replacement for FM in feeds for Atlantic salmon pre-smolts. The present study showed that BSFM is a suitable feed material for Atlantic salmon proper diet balancing and may be used to decrease FM content. The semi-technical application of BSFM containing diets confirmed their effectiveness during the growth phase of Atlantic salmon. According to our results, BSFM can be recommended as an alternative feed component in Atlantic salmon pre-smolt nutrition at levels up to 15%. Simultaneously, insect inclusion significantly improved the environmental sustainability of the rearing process.