Browsing by Author "Uushona, Tulimo"

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    Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) pre-pupae as a protein source for broiler production
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-03) Uushona, Tulimo; Hoffman, Louwrens C.; Pieterse, E.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Agrisciences. Dept. of Animal Sciences.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of the study was to investigate the potential of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) pre-pupae meal (BSM) as a protein source in broiler chicken diets. The first part of the study determined the digestibility of black soldier fly pre-pupae meal in a trial where four treatment diets, i.e. 100% maize (control diet), BSM dried at 100 °C (BSM100), BSM dried at 65 °C (BSM65), and defatted BSM dried at 65 °C (DF-BSM) were fed to Cobb 500 broiler chicks, 43 days of age, for a period of three days. The chicks (n=64) allocated to the treatment groups were acclimatized to the treatment diets for a period of three days prior to the experimental feeding period. The chicks received a commercial diet, according to the guidelines of Cobb-Vantress, up to an age of 39 days. The DF-BSM diet was found to be more digestible than the BSM65 diet, and acceptable digestibility values (i.e. above 70%) were reported for all the treatment diets. The apparent metabolisable energy of the BSM65 diet was 16.52, with a crude protein coefficient of total intestinal tract digestibility (CTTD) of 86%, which is higher than that reported for soya bean meal. In the second part of the study, the inclusion of BSM65 in chicken diets and the effect on broiler production parameters; organ, gut and skeletal parameters, were investigated. Black soldier fly pre-pupae meal, dried at 65 °C (BSM), was included in broiler diets at levels of 0, 5, 10, and 15%, respectively and fed to 320 day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks for a period of 35 days. For most of the production parameters studied, no significant differences were reported for average daily intake, live weight gain, feed conversion ratio and European protein efficacy factor. A significant effect was observed for average weekly feed intake and cumulative feed intake at day 18 of age. This part of the study indicated that BSM65 levels included at 15% sustained normal growth in birds used in the study, which indicated the viability of BSM to be used as a protein source in broiler diets. The findings also indicated that the inclusion of BSM in broiler diets did not influence organ weight, gizzard erosion score, tibia ash percentage, tibia breaking strength, tibia mineral content, small intestine pH, and histomorphology of the duodenal and jejenal regions. In the third part of the study, the inclusion of BSM65 in broiler diets on carcass characteristics and meat quality of broilers was investigated. Black soldier fly pre-pupae meal dried at 65 °C did not compromise the physical, sensory and chemical quality of the broiler meat. No significant effects were also found in terms of live slaughter weight, cold carcass weight and the commercial portions (i.e. breast, thigh, drumstick, wing and back). Overall, the study indicated that BSM, which is considered a non-traditional protein source, can be included in broiler diets at levels as high as 15%, without any adverse effect on normal broiler production, organ and skeletal parameters. The inclusion of BSM in broiler diets did not affect the quality of the meat nor compromised the eating quality of the meat produced, when compared to meat of broilers fed the control diet (commercial broiler diet).