Effect of partial or complete replacement of soybean meal with black solider fly (Hermetia illucens) prepupae meal on egg production and quality in layer chicken

Abstract A study was conducted to examine the suitability of using black soldier fly (BSF) Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus) prepupae meal as a feed supplement in layer chicken. Two experiments were conducted in layer chicken. Sixty White Leghorn layer birds of 19 weeks of age procured from commercial layer farm were fed with standard diet till 22wks of age and then shifted to experimental diet from 23 wks of age when all the birds were in peak egg production. Birds were randomly assigned to three treatment groups and each treatment group had 20 replicates (individual bird). In the first experiment (23–38 wks of age), dietary treatment groups consisted of one control diet (T1) with maize-soybean meal based and another two (T2 & T3) diets containing 5 and 10% of BSF pre pupae meal in diet, respectively. In the second experiment (39–48 wks of age), the 5% BSF fed group (T2 of Experiment 1) was switched to 20% BSF group wherein soybean meal was completely replaced. The treatment group consisted of T1, control and T2, 10% BSF meal continued from earlier Experiment 1 and T3, 20% BSF meal continued from 5% BSF meal fed group. In Experiment 1, the results indicated the egg production, egg weight and shell weight were similar (P < 0.05) in all the groups, however, with lower (P > 0.05) feed intake and better (P > 0.05) FCR in BSF fed group. The 10% BSF group had lower (P > 0.05) shell thickness. In Experiment 2, the egg production, shell thickness and shell weight were similar (P < 0.05) in all the groups, however, with lower (P > 0.05) feed intake in BSF fed group. The 20% BSF group had poor (P > 0.05) FCR and lower egg weight. There was no difference in the organoleptic evaluation of eggs due BSF feeding. Based on the two experiments it can be concluded that black soldier fly prepupae meal can be optimally included upto 10% in the diet of layer chicken replacing 50% of soybean meal.