Browsing by Subject "Insect meal"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Publication
    Open Access
    In vivo and in vitro Digestibility of an Extruded Complete Dog Food Containing Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae Meal as Protein Source
    (Frontiers, 2021-06-11) Penazzi, Livio; Schiavone, Achille; Russo, Natalia; Nery, Joana; Valle, Emanuela; Madrid, Josefa; Martínez, Silvia; Hernandez, Fuensanta; Pagani, Elena; Ala, Ugo; Prola, Liviana; Producción Animal; Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
    Growing attention is being directed toward insects as a novel and sustainable source of protein for pet food. The aim of the study was to evaluate nutrient digestibility of a diet containing black soldier fly larvae as its main protein source. Moreover, the purpose of the study was to compare the traditional in vivo total collection method with the in vivo marker method and in vitro digestibility method. Two isonitrogenous and isoenergetic dry diets containing either venison meal (CTRL diet) or black soldier fly larvae meal (BSF diet) as their primary sources of proteins were fed to six adult dogs, according to a Latin square design. The digestibility of nutrients was determined using both in vivo (“total collection” and “internal marker” approaches) and in vitro methods. The two diets showed similar nutrient digestibility values for dry matter, organic matter, ether extract, ash, and phosphorus. However, a statistical trend (p = 0.066) was observed indicating greater protein digestibility in the BSF diet compared with the CTRL diet. Calcium digestibility was higher in the BSF diet compared with the CTRL diet (p = 0.018). On the contrary, fiber digestibility was lower in the insect-based diet compared with the venison diet (p < 0.001). There was no difference between total collection and internal marker methods in the assessment of in vivo digestibility for any of the nutrients considered. The in vitro digestibility values for dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein, as well as the estimated in vivo digestibility of organic matter and crude protein by the means of the predictive equation, were aligned with the in vivo results, although in vitro estimations were consistently higher compared with those obtained by in vivo analysis. Digestibility analysis of a dog food containing insect meal as the sole source of protein (36.5% inclusion) showed promising results in terms of it presenting similar values as a meat-based diet, indicating its suitability as a sustainable protein source for pet food. Moreover, the study showed that both the in vivo marker method and the in vitro method could be possible alternatives to the traditional total collection method in digestibility trials.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Publication
    Open Access
    Partially defatted black soldier fly larvameal inclusion in piglet diets: effects on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profile, gut morphology and histological features
    (Biomedcentral (BMC), 2019-02-19) Biasato, Ilaria; Renna, Manuela; Gai, Francesco; Dabbou, Sihem; Meneguz, Marco; Perona, Giovanni; Martínez-Miró, Silvia; Barroeta Lajusticia, Cristina; Bergagna, Stefania; Sardi, Luca; Capucchio, Maria Teresa; Bressan, Enrico; Dama, Andrea; Schiavone, Achille; Gasco, Laura; Producción Animal; Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Largo P. Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, (TO), Italy.; Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo P. Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, (TO) Turin; National Research Council, Institute of Science of Food Production, Largo P. Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, (TO), Italy; SDSV – Teaching Structure of Veterinary Medicine, University of Turin, Largo P. Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, (TO), Italy; Department of Animal Production, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30071 Murcia, Spain; Department of Animal and Food Science, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.; Veterinary Medical Research Institute for Piemonte, Liguria and the Valle D’Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Turin, Italy.; Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano dell’Emilia, (BO), Italy
    Background: The aim of this trial was to investigate the effects of different inclusion levels of a partially defatted black soldier fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens L.) larva meal on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profile, gut morphology and histological features of piglets. A total of 48 newly weaned piglets were individually weighed (initial body weight (IBW): 6.1 ± 0.16 kg) and randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments (4 boxes as replicates/treatment and 4 animals/box). BSF larva meal was included at increasing levels (0% [BSF0], 5% [BSF5] and 10% [BSF10]) in isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets formulated for two feeding phases: I (fromd 1 to d 23) and II (fromd 24 to d 61). The weight gain (WG), average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated for each feeding phase and for the whole trial. The haematochemical parameters and nutrient digestibility of the piglets were also evaluated. A total of 3 piglets per box were slaughtered on d 61 and the slaughtered piglets were submitted to morphometric investigations and histopathological examinations. Results: No overall significant differences were observed for growth performance (P >0.05), except for the ADFI of phase II, which showed a linear response to increasing BSF meal levels (P < 0.05, maximum for the BSF10 group). Dietary BSF meal inclusion did not significantly influence the blood profile, except as far as monocytes and neutrophils are concerned, and these showed a linear and quadratic response, respectively, to increasing BSF meal levels (P < 0.05, maximum for the BSF10 and BSF5 groups, respectively). On the other hand, the nutrient digestibility, gut morphology and histological features were not affected by dietary BSF meal inclusion (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The obtained results show that a partially defatted BSF larva meal can be used as a feed ingredient in diets for weaned piglets without negatively affecting their growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profile, gut morphology or histological features.