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A trial conducted by IFIP proposed to evaluate the possibilities of incorporating dried and defatted protein concentrates from Tenebrio molitor larvae into post-weaning feeds. This insect meal is characterized by a protein content of 75%, a lysine content of 41 g/kg, and a fat content of 10% in the crude product. The amino acid profile is appealing for its threonine, tryptophan, and valine content, but is deficient in methionine and cystine.
Incorporating insect meal into the diet of post-weaning piglets was tested using 260 animals weaned at 4 weeks of age and distributed in 4 treatments (Table 1). Each treatment consisted of a 1st-stage feed distributed during the 2 weeks after weaning and a 2nd-stage feed distributed during the following 4 weeks. Insect meal was introduced at 0, 3, 6, and 9% in the 1st-stage feed, then at 0, 4, 8, and 12% in the 2nd-stage feed, respectively, for the Control, Low, Medium, and High treatments. Insect meal was incorporated replacing soybean sources.
Table 1. Four treatments (control, low, medium, high) with increasing incorporation rate of dry and defatted protein concentrates of Tenebrio larvae.
| (% larval protein concentrate) | Control | Low | Medium | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st stage | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 2nd stage | 0 | 4 | 8 | 12 |
Performance was identical throughout the post-weaning period (Table 2). The incorporation of insect meal did not pose a consumption or growth problem, even at the highest doses. The nutritional values of the insect meal used were estimated from in vitro measurements and literature data. A slight overestimation of the energy content is possible given the numerical difference observed in the feed conversion ratio.
Table 2. Performance according to treatment.
| Control | Low | Medium | High | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st stage (4 - 6 weeks old) | ||||
| ADG, g/d | 175 | 187 | 179 | 185 |
| FCR, kg/kg | 1.55 | 1.44 | 1.49 | 1.46 |
| Weight, kg | 11.48 | 11.62 | 11.54 | 11.64 |
| 2nd stage (6 - 10 weeks old) | ||||
| ADG, g/d | 671 | 672 | 679 | 669 |
| FCR, kg/kg | 1.49a | 1.51ab | 1.55b | 1.56b |
| Weight, kg | 30.28 | 30.36 | 30.55 | 30.37 |
| Total period (4 - 10 weeks) | ||||
| ADG, g/d | 506 | 509 | 512 | 508 |
| FCR, kg/kg | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.55 | 1.54 |
On the other hand, incorporating insect meal led to a favorable improvement in the consistency of the feces. The proportion of feces containing less than 20% dry matter was 35% for the Control treatment, 15% for the Low and Medium treatments, and 0% for the High treatment.
Distribution of dry matter levels (%) of feces according to treatment.
This study provides an update on the use of this new raw material available for animal feed, in this particular case for piglet feed. The results show that this raw material can be used without difficulties; high incorporationrates have been tested in this case.
