ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS ▶▶▶


Housefly larvae contribute to sustainable layer nutrition


Extensive research by Schothorst Feed Research shows that housefly larvae are a viable protein source in sustainable layer nutrition which can fully replace soya. If production of larvae can be up-scaled and implemented on layer farms, larvae will be price-competitive with soybean meal. Currently, EU legislation limits the use of larvae for poultry but this is likely to change in the future.


BY LAURA STAR, SCHOTHORST FEED RESEARCH AND GERT HEMKE, HEMKE NUTRI CONSULT T


he worldwide demand for protein in food and feed will increase by 1.3-1.5% per year over the next few decades. The total human population will grow to more than 8 billion people by 2030 while meat con-


sumption per capita in developing countries is expected to increase.


A major source of feed protein is soya which is mainly pro- duced in North and South America. For several reasons – less genetically modified (GMO) soya, less deforestation, more cir- cular agriculture – EU policymakers and the feed industry are focused on reducing soya imports. One alternative could be meat meal. Further to the TSE (transmissible spongiform en- cephalopathies) issue in the 1980s the EU banned the use of this type of product in animal feeds. The use of fish meal as a high-quality protein source has been limited to avoid over- fishing of the seas. Insects are regarded as an alternative with high potential be- cause the production of insects demands limited amounts of


water and land, and they can add value to low-value by-prod- ucts. The large-scale production of insects can yield animal protein of high nutritional quality through the conversion of organic waste streams. Insects emit relatively small amounts of greenhouse gases and, last but not least, insects have a high nutritional value based on amino acids. The economic feasibility of insect production will be deter- mined by nutritional value and production costs. The produc- tion costs must, of course, be lower than the nutritional value. The nutritional value can be influenced by the insect feed and by selecting the right breeds. Insects offer a high nutritional economic value for fish feed and pet food. Insects can replace fish meal in these products. The amino acid pattern of both products is very similar. How- ever, the nutritional economic value of insects for poultry and pigs is much lower. Insects could be used in these products to partially replace soya, fat and synthetic amino acids.


Larvae production To ensure cost-effective insect-based protein production, the


Table 1 – Chemical composition of Amusca larvae, fish meal, meat meal and soybean meal. Literature


Amusca larvae Housefly larvae*


DM product Unit Ash CP


Fat Carbohydr. (calculated) g/kg DM


146 (107 – 231) 491 (375 – 604) 182 (141 -236)


g/kg DM 69


290 929 946 873 g/kg DM 183 688 113 16


544 275 112


g/kg DM 185 618 152 44


g/kg DM 74


532 22


372 Fibre 86 72 0 30 42 ▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 6, 2020 23 Fish meal Meat meal


Soybean meal


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