Growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chicken fed on black soldier fly larvae meal: a product of fecal sludge waste management

Abstract Rearing black soldier fly is an efficient way to dispose of organic waste by converting them into protein-rich feed to substitute animal- and plant-based sources in animal feeds. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal inclusion level of black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) as a substitute for soybean meal (SBM) in broiler diets and evaluate the impact on growth and carcass characteristics. Five isonitrogenous diets (D) (20% crude protein, CP) and isocaloric (3,200 Kcal/kg) were formulated such that BSFLM substituted SBM at 0% (control, D1), 25% (D2), 50% (D3), 75% (D4), and 100% (D5) on a protein basis. A total of 270 broilers (Cobb 500) were randomly assigned to the five treatments in triplicate per diet. BSFLM displayed higher fat content (44.84 ± 0.08%). Average daily feed intake (ADFI) decreased with an increase in BSFLM in the diets (p = 0.004). However, overall weight (OW) was high (1,296.97 ± 46.19 g) on 100% substitution of SBM with BSFLM (D5). Breast fat content averaged 6.06 ± 0.97 g for D1 and 15.30 ± 0.5 g for D5. This study has demonstrated that BSFLM can partially or wholly replace conventional SBM in the diet of broiler chicken.