Potential Value of Using Insect Meal As an Alternative Protein Source for Japanese Quail Diet

Abstract

A feeding trial was conducted to determine the potential value of replacing 100 % of meat and bone meal (MBM) ingredient as the major animal protein source in Japanese quail diets by 50% and 100% of insect meal derived from S. littoralis Larvae. A total of 360, 7 daysold quail chicks, were randomly divided into three equal groups (120 chicks) with three replicates each. They were offered three different diets 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The Diet 1 contained MBM only as a major source of animal protein, diet 2 had both MBM (50%) and insect meal (50%) while diet 3 contained insect meal (100%). Results: Partial or total replacement of S. littoralis larvae with MBM increased body weight gain and improved feed conversion ratio (p≤0.05). Moreover, treated groups with insect meal were economically much more profitable than conventional MBM. On the other hand, serum total protein, albumin, globulin, triglycerides, cholesterol, total antioxidant, thyroxin, estradiol-17B, and testosterone hormones level were significantly higher (p≤0.05) in treated groups than in the control one. While, serum alkaline phosphates, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities in all treated groups were within equal range and did not differ among them. The inclusion of insect meal protein as a replacement for MBM up to 100% replacement has no adverse effect on growth performance, carcass characteristics, hematological and serum biochemical indices of growing Japanese quail chicks. Moreover, it can be used as one of a protein source for lowering the production costs of poultry diets.

Nontraditional Feedstuffs as an Alternative in Poultry Feed

“…It was also mentioned by Kareem et al [31] that the incorporation of black soldier fly larvae to broiler diets up to 10% had no negative effect in their growth performance under humid tropical environment. In addition, no adverse effects on growth performance, carcass characteristics, hematological and serum biochemical indices in growing Japanese quail when meat and bone meal replaced with Spodoptera littorails in their diets [35]. It was claimed by Neumann et al [36] that partly adding defatted insects meal of Hermetia illucens larvae in broiler diets -26% and 22% in starter and grower phase, respectively -were acceptable.…”

Valorization of cricket, Acheta domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758), flour as a source of dietary protein in Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica (Temminck and Schlegel, 1849), farming

“…This trend is contrary to that of Marareni and Mnisi [ 40 ], who found a reduction in the values of these components in their work on the study of growth performance, serum biochemistry, and meat quality in Jumbo quails given a diet comprising mopane worm meal ( Imbrasia belina ). However, this is not the case for the work of Cullere et al [ 32 ], Hatab et al [ 41 ], and Woods et al [ 42 ], who fed birds with black soldier fly or Hermetia illucen larvae collected from different substrates and noted an increase in the values of the carcass proportions.…”

Comparative Study Of Growth And HSP70 Gene Expression In Japanese Quails Fed Different Levels Of Black Solder Fly, Hermetia Illucens

“…The adverse effects of exposing to heat stress on performance, physiological activity, nutrient absorption, digestion, blood circulation, respiration ,consumption and utilization of food and sensitivity against several diseases etc. are well reviewed by (Sayed et al 2019;Hatab et al 2020). In further study conducted by (Sahin et al 2009; Kang and Shim 2021) reported the role of stress factors in inducing the expression of Heat shock proteins in the Japanese quail.…”

“…Additionally, more recent researches have evaluated the potential value of insect meal as poultry feed derived from another insect species. New avenues were opened for the utilization of the common cutter biller, Spodoptera littoralis larvae and/or the peach fruit y, Bactrocera zonata as sources of protein as feed (Basiouny et al 2016;Sayedet al 2019;Hatab et al 2020). B. zonata could play an prominentrole as feed because it has short life cycles and can be reared on a large scale using low cost material as feed substartes like other fruit y species Parker (2005).…”