Low-Fat Mealworm in Broiler Diets
Author Information
Author(s): Evgeni Petkov, Teodora Popova, Krasimir Dimov, Desislava Vlahova-Vangelova, Desislav Balev, Nikolay Kolev, Stefan Dragoev
Primary Institution: Institute of Animal Science-Kostinbrod, Bulgaria
Hypothesis
The study investigates the effect of different doses of low-fat Tenebrio molitor meal included in the diet of Ross 308 broilers on their growth performance and carcass composition.
Conclusion
Incorporating low-fat Tenebrio molitor meal, especially in amounts of 7.5–10%, negatively affects broiler growth performance and carcass composition.
Supporting Evidence
- The inclusion of low-fat Tenebrio molitor meal at 10% negatively affected body weight gain and feed conversion ratio.
- Doses of 7.5% and 10% were associated with lower carcass weight and breast yield.
- Growth performance decreased linearly with increasing levels of insect meal in the diet.
Takeaway
This study looked at how adding mealworm to chicken feed affects their growth and body parts. Too much mealworm made the chickens grow slower and have less meat.
Methodology
The trial involved 120 male Ross 308 broilers divided into 5 groups, fed different levels of low-fat Tenebrio molitor meal over 35 days, with growth performance and carcass quality evaluated.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the specific conditions of the trial and the limited duration of the study.
Limitations
The study primarily focused on low-fat mealworm and may not represent the effects of other insect meals or higher fat content.
Participant Demographics
120 male one-day-old Ross 308 broilers.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.0002
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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