Study tests black soldier fly larvae meal in broiler diets

A new broiler nutrition study in Veterinary Sciences suggests black soldier fly larvae meal could replace a meaningful share of soybean meal without hurting overall production outcomes, at least under the conditions tested. Researchers fed 160 Ross 708 broilers diets in which black soldier fly larvae meal replaced soybean meal at 0%, 20%, 40%, or 60% on an equivalent basis from 10 to 42 days of age, then assessed growth, carcass traits, meat quality, and blood biochemistry. The paper reports that partial replacement maintained performance and carcass outcomes across groups, while adding to a growing body of evidence that insect-derived ingredients can function as alternative protein sources in broiler diets. Related work in Animals also found that low-level inclusion of full-fat Hermetia illucens or Tenebrio molitor meal (2% or 4%) did not impair growth, feed conversion, mortality, or overall carcass quality in Ross 308 broilers, while increasing breast yield; some meat-quality and lipid-profile shifts were noted, including higher cooking loss in one high-H. illucens group and higher HDL-associated cholesterol in T. molitor-fed birds. Separate Animals research on low-soybean-meal diets underscores that reducing soybean meal itself is not always neutral: a 10% soybean meal reduction increased mortality, feed intake, and altered nutrient utilization and cecal microbiota unless the diet was carefully adjusted. (mdpi.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals and poultry nutrition teams, the study adds another data point in favor of insect meal as a practical tool for reducing reliance on soybean meal, a conventional protein source tied to price volatility and sustainability concerns. It also reinforces a more nuanced point from the broader literature: replacement strategy matters. Simply lowering soybean meal can create performance or gut-health tradeoffs, while properly formulated insect inclusion may help preserve outcomes. But the findings still come with familiar caveats: nutrient composition can vary by processing method and larval substrate, higher inclusion rates may not perform the same way across genetics or production systems, and there may be threshold effects on gut or immune responses at higher doses, as seen in other species fed black soldier fly meal. In the U.S., AAFCO’s ingredient definition for dried black soldier fly larvae covers use in poultry feed only when larvae are raised on feed-grade materials, while the EU has separately expanded insect protein use in poultry and pig feed under Regulation (EU) 2021/1372. (poultryscience.org)

What to watch: Expect follow-up attention on optimal inclusion rates, substrate safety, economics, and whether these results hold up in larger commercial broiler trials. Researchers will also likely keep testing how insect ingredients compare with other feed strategies aimed at preserving performance, gut health, and meat quality as soybean dependence is reduced. (frontiersin.org)