Effects of Dietary Whole Black Soldier Fly Larvae Provision on Growth Performance, Intestinal Health, And Metabolism in Chinese Yellow-Feather Chicken

Black soldier fly (BSF) farming offers an environmentally responsible solution to the food waste challenge Hong Kong and several other regions are facing because BSF larvae are highly efficient in upcycling waste into valuable protein-rich insect biomass. Dried larvae and larvae meal intended for animal feeding are currently available on the Hong Kong market, however, the local production volume and marketability of products are yet to be scaled up to make use of the waste recycling potential of the BSF farming sector. BSF larvae meal inclusion in the diet of Western broiler chicken enhanced the growth performance and feed efficiency and improved intestinal health due to their bioactive compounds. Chinese yellow-feather chicken, a dominant broiler breed in East Asia, could also benefit from BSF-based diets, however, this breed has a different digestive physiology and the effects of BSF-based diets on the growth performance, intestinal health, and metabolism in this native slow-growing breed have not yet been evaluated. Provisioning of whole larvae in addition to a basal diet seems to be the most practicable solution on local farms in this region. While increasing rates of whole larvae provisioning may improve intestinal health owing to an increasing supply of antimicrobial peptides and lauric acid, excessive amounts of chitin and fat can potentially hinder protein digestion and feed intake, respectively. Hence, this research hypothesizes that there is an optimal rate of whole larvae provisioning in yellow-feather chicken; and the objectives are to identify this optimal rate and characterize its effects on growth performance, intestinal health, and metabolism. The chicken will be fed increasing amounts of whole larvae in addition to a basal diet and serum markers of intestinal barrier integrity, liver function, protein metabolism, and oxidative stress will be measured. In a follow-up trial, an equivalent number of larvae meal-based diet will be fed and in addition to the serum markers, the intestinal microbiome and the serum metabolome will be characterized. The outcome of this research will be the evaluation of the intestinal health effects and the maximum optimal larvae provisioning rate in yellow-feather chicken. Documenting beneficial production or health effects will encourage farmers to adopt alternative BSF-based nutritional strategies, supporting the demand-driven growth of the local BSF farming sector. Further, the outcomes of this research will benefit the local poultry producers and will help achieve sustainability, carbon neutrality, and circular economy goals.