GROWTH AND HAEMATOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF BROILER STARTER CHICKS, FED DIETS CONTAINING VARYING INCLUSIONS OF TOASTED BLACK SOLDIER FLY LARVAE (HERMETIA ILLUCENS) MEAL AS PARTIAL REPLACEMENT FOR SOYBEAN

Abstract

The larvae of the Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) have been extensively examined as a viable and sustainable protein source in poultry nutrition, primarily due to their remarkable potential and chemical composition suitable for various animal species. In broiler production, feed costs constitute approximately 75% of the overall production expenditures, rendering protein one of the costliest components in broiler diets. Consequently, there is a pressing need to explore the impact of Black Soldier Fly larvae (BSFL) meal in the diets of broiler chickens, with the objective of minimizing production costs as effectively as possible. This study was consequently conducted to assess the growth performance and haematological indices of broiler chickens fed diets containing varying inclusion levels of toasted Black Soldier Fly larvae (Hermetia illucens). A total of 200 day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks procured from Zartech Company in Jos were used for this investigation. The birds were randomly distributed among five dietary treatments. Forty (40) birds were randomly allocated to each dietary treatment, with eight (8) birds per replicate in a completely randomized design. Toasted defatted Black Soldier Fly larvae meal (TDBSFLM) was incorporated at graded levels of 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%, and were designated as T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5, respectively. The experimental diets and water were made available ad libitum during the starter phases. All management practices were meticulously adhered to, including brooding, vaccination, drug administration, and the maintenance of proper hygiene throughout the duration of the study. The results showed a significant (p<0.05) difference across all performance parameters measured among the various treatments during the starter phase. A linear increase was observed in the final weight (FW) and total weight gain of the birds as the inclusion of BSFLM increased during the starter phase. These performance parameters were significantly (p<0.05) higher in birds fed graded levels of BSFLM in comparison to those in the control group (T1). The feed conversion ratio exhibited a significant improvement in birds fed diets T5 (2.37) containing 8% BSFLM, as opposed to those in the other treatment groups. No significant (p<0.05) effects of the treatments were detected in the haematological parameters assessed. Thus, it was concluded that toasted defatted Black Soldier Fly larvae meal (TDBSFLM) at levels up to 8% could be integrated into broiler diets without inducing any detrimental effects on the growth performance and health status of the birds.