Animal performance and meat quality of two slow-growing chicken genotypes fed insects reared on municipal organic waste

Abstract

To keep up with increasing demand for animal protein, alternative protein sources will need to be included in current animal production systems. The efficient growth of Hermetia illucens larvae combined with municipal waste as a substrate has the potential to increase the sustainability of protein feed production. Therefore, this study partially substituted soymeal with H. illucens larval meal (reared on municipal waste) in broiler diets to determine the effect on slow-growing broiler (ISA-JA-757 and Les Bleues) production. Growth and slaughter performance, as well as animal welfare and meat quality parameters were evaluated. No influence of H. illucens larvae meal in the diet was found for weight gain, feed efficiency and slaughter performance. Animal welfare was also not influenced by diet. Fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat was influenced by the inclusion of H. illucens in the broiler diets; however not uniformly across meat cut. Differences between animal genotype and animal sex often influenced parameters under investigation more than diet itself. Overall, H. illucens can be regarded as a suitable protein source in slow-growing broiler diets.