Study adds support for black soldier fly meal in broiler diets

CURRENT BRIEF VERSION: Black soldier fly larvae meal continues to build a research case as a partial soybean meal substitute in broiler diets, with a new Veterinary Sciences study reporting that replacing soybean meal on a 100% equivalent basis at 20%, 40%, and 60% did not undermine overall evaluation of growth, carcass traits, meat quality, or blood biochemical responses in Ross 708 broilers. The trial used 160 birds from 10 to 42 days of age, and adds to a growing body of poultry nutrition literature testing Hermetia illucens as an alternative protein source. That broader literature includes lower-inclusion broiler studies showing insect meals can maintain growth and mortality outcomes while shifting some carcass and meat-quality traits, such as higher breast yield and modest changes in pH or cooking loss, depending on insect species and inclusion rate. In parallel, the regulatory picture in the U.S. is also becoming more permissive: AAFCO documents show dried black soldier fly larvae have moved through the ingredient-definition process for use in poultry feed, alongside swine and finfish, when raised on feed-grade substrates. (mdpi.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals working with poultry systems, the study is another signal that insect-derived proteins are moving from novelty toward practical ration formulation, especially as producers look for options that reduce dependence on soybean meal. But reducing soybean meal is not automatically neutral for flock outcomes: separate broiler work using a 10% lower-soybean-meal diet found higher mortality, higher feed intake in the grower-finisher phase, lower ether extract availability, and shifts in cecal microbiota, including more Helicobacter, unless other diet components helped offset those effects. Earlier broiler work has also found health markers generally remained within physiological ranges, but higher inclusion levels can affect gut morphology or feed efficiency if diets are not carefully balanced. (jasbsci.biomedcentral.com)

What to watch: Expect the next phase of scrutiny to focus less on whether black soldier fly ingredients can work at all, and more on where the practical ceiling is for inclusion, economics, ingredient consistency, gut and microbiome effects, and regulatory adoption across markets. Related livestock work is also widening the conversation: in post-weaning piglets, live Tenebrio molitor larvae improved early feed efficiency, health indicators, and resilience even under moderately reduced crude-protein diets, reinforcing the idea that insect ingredients may have functional effects beyond simple protein replacement. (aafco.org)