Gadzama IU¹*, Mugweru IM², Makombe WS³, Madungwe C³, Hina Q⁴, Omofunmilola EO⁵, Panuel P⁶, Olanrewaju TJ⁷ and Ray S⁸

¹School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, University of Queensland, Australia
²Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
³Chinhoyi University of Technology, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe
⁴Department of Animal Nutrition, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
⁵Department of Animal Production Technology, Yaba College of Technology, Nigeria
⁶Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
⁷University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
⁸University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia

*Corresponding Author: Gadzama IU, School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, University of Queensland, Australia.

Received: December 05, 2024; Published: January 01, 2025

Abstract

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are emerging as a promising alternative to traditional protein and fat sources in animal feed and pet food. Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of BSFL meal as a partial or complete substitute for fishmeal and soybean meal in poultry diets, showing improvements in growth performance, feed efficiency, meat quality, and animal welfare. For laying hens, BSFL meal enhances egg production and quality and improves yolk fatty acid and amino acid profiles. These benefits are attrib uted to BSFL’s rich protein content, balanced amino acid profile, essential fatty acids, and prebiotic properties. The nutritional com position of BSFL can be manipulated by varying their feed substrates, allowing customization to meet specific poultry species’ needs and production goals. BSFL contain chitin, a prebiotic that supports a balanced gut microbiota, and lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid with antimicrobial properties, which can enhance gut health and potentially reduce antibiotic use in poultry production. Live BSFL can serve as environmental enrichment, promoting natural foraging behaviours and reducing stress-related behaviours. This enrichment improves leg health in broilers, enhances plumage status in layers and ducks, and reduces aggressive pecking in turkeys. The growing demand for BSFL in poultry feed has spurred commercial production efforts to provide sustainable and cost-effective protein sources. However, the optimal use of BSFL in poultry diets is still under investigation. This review aims to consolidate exist ing research on BSFL in poultry production, highlighting potential benefits and challenges. By identifying research gaps, this review provides valuable insights to guide future studies and support poultry farmers and researchers in optimizing BSFL use.

Keywords: Insect Protein; Black Soldier Fly Larvae; Poultry; Meat Quality; Eggs; Growth

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Citation

Citation: Gadzama IU., et al. “Improving Poultry Production with Black Soldier Fly Larvae". Acta Scientific Agriculture 9.1 (2025): 60-77.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Gadzama IU., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.