Dried Hermetia Illucens Larvae Meal as a Supplement for Swine

Abstract

A digestion trial and a palatability trial were conducted to evaluate dried, ground soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae as a dietary supplement for swine. After processing, the larvae, which were collected from cattle feces and urine slurry, contained 42% crude protein, 3 5% ether extract and 5% calcium. Two diets were formulated to contain 20% crude protein and 13% ether extract using either the larvae meal or soybean meal plus stabilized brown grease. These diets were fed to six barrow pigs in a triplicated 2 × 2 latin square design digestion trial. Apparent digestibilities of dry matter, nitrogen, ether extract, crude fiber, ash, NFE, calcium and phosphorus for the larvae meal diet were 77.5, 76.0, 83.5, 53.8, 45.2, 84.7, 38.9 and 23.0, respectively. Corresponding values for the soybean meal diet were 85.3, 77.2, 73.0, 49.2, 61.6, 91.3, 39.3 and 51.3, with values for dry matter, nitrogen, ash and NFE being greater (P<.05) than for the larvae meal diet. Nitrogen balance averaged 8.13 g per day for the larvae meal diet and 9.33 g per day for the soybean meal diet. When given a choice of three diets, pigs did not, as indicated by intake, discriminate against a diet containing larvae meal. Consumption of the larvae meal diet was greater (P<.05) than that of a soybean meal diet containing no added fat.