Modified Black Soldier Fly Larva Fat in Broiler Diet: Effects on Performance, Carcass Traits, Blood Parameters, Histomorphological Features and Gut Microbiota

Abstract

In this study, a total of 200 male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were assigned to four dietary treatments (5 pens/treatment and 10 birds/pen) for two feeding phases: starter (0–11 days of age) and grower-finisher (11–33 days of age). A basal diet containing soy oil (SO) as added fat was used as control group (C), tested against three experimental diets where the SO was partially substituted by BSF larvae fat (BSF) or one of two types of modified BSF larvae fat (MBSF1 and MBSF2, respectively). The two modified BSF larvae fats had a high and low ratio of monobutyrin to monoglycerides of medium chain fatty acid, respectively. Diet did not influence the growth or slaughter performance, pH, color, or the chemical composition of breast and thigh muscles, gut morphometric indices, or histopathological alterations in all the organs. As far as fecal microbiota are concerned, MBSF1 and MBSF2 diets reduced the presence of Clostridium and Corynebacterium, which can frequently cause infection in poultry. In conclusion, modified BSF larva fat may positively modulate the fecal microbiota of broiler chickens without influencing the growth performance and intestinal morphology or showing any adverse histopathological alternations.

A Probabilistic Structural Equation Model to Evaluate Links between Gut Microbiota and Body Weights of Chicken Fed or Not Fed Insect Larvae

“…No link was found between the node "BSF" and any of the LCs. Similarly, little or no differences were found in the composition of cecal microbiota of Ross broilers fed a commercial feed with either 0% or 8% of fresh BSF larvae [13], or up to 20% [79], while others observed differences in the relative abundances of several genera in Ross broilers fed meals including 0% to 15% of partially defatted BSF larvae [10] or meal in which soybean oil was partially substituted by natural or modified BSF larvae fat [80]. It is possible that the substances in BSF fat explain these findings.…”

“…It is possible that the substances in BSF fat explain these findings. Indeed, fat of BSF larvae is rich in mediumchain fatty acids known to influence microbiota and intestinal villi morphology [15,80,81].…”

Antimicrobial monoglycerides for swine and poultry applications

“…In terms of supply options, MCMG are widely found in various natural sources such as coconut oil and insect-derived oils (Dayrit, 2015;Borrelli et al, 2021;Dabbou et al, 2021). However, they are mainly present in triglyceride form, which typically do not exhibit antimicrobial activity and require enzymatic breakdown to yield the active MCMG form (Zentek et al, 2011).…”

Lipid metabolism, fatty acid composition and meat quality in broilers supplemented with increasing levels of defrosted black soldier fly larvae

“…Moreover, using full-fat BSFL meal in the diet of growing layer chickens improved growth performance, nutrient digestibility, plasma antioxidant ability and gut health (Chu et al, 2020). In addition, inclusion of BSFL fat in broiler diets did not affect blood metabolites, and carcass traits and chemical composition of broiler meat were satisfactory (Dabbou et al, 2021;Schiavone et al, 2017). However, the industrial processing of BSFL to produce protein meal, implies additional costs which might constrain expansion of using BSFL in poultry rations.…”