scholarly journals Determinants of profitability of black soldier fly farming enterprise in Kenya

Author(s):  
K.V. Mutuku ◽  
A.W. Mukhebi ◽  
M.A. Orinda ◽  
C.M. Tanga

Black soldier fly (BSF) farming is emerging as a new farm enterprise in Kenya poised to provide high-quality and affordable alternative protein sources for animal feed production. Consequently, commercialisation and adoption require farmers to understand if the enterprise is economically viable. This study sought to assess the determinants of profitability of the BSF farm enterprise. A census survey was conducted whereby 34 well-established smallholder BSF farmers were interviewed. A double log regression analysis on the determinants of profitability of the BSF farm enterprise was done. The results revealed that 93.6% of the variation in enterprise gross margin was explained by the independent variables. Feed and household size contributed positively and significantly to the enterprise gross margin. Labour was significantly and negatively correlated to the enterprise gross margin. Farm size, gender, level of education, and age of the farmer did not significantly influence the gross margin of the enterprise. Furthermore, the survey showed that a 1% increase in man-hours spent in the BSF farming enterprise would result in a 0.34% reduction in the gross margin while a 1% increase in the usage of the rearing substrate would lead to a 1.38% increase in the gross margin. There is a need for farmers to reduce the man-hours spent in the BSF farms but at the same time increase significantly the utilisation of more rearing substrate to improve their profitability. However, a long-term socio-economic impact assessment on the BSF farming enterprise would be valuable to attract investors and interest in the insect production sector for animal feed.

2014 ◽  
pp. 35-38
Author(s):  
Andrea Csikai

Customer focus is one of the main principles of Total Quality Management, and it is inevitable for long term, mutually successful vendorcustomer partnerships. The strictly controlled quality management systems of animal feed industry ensure that product quality meets the expectations of all parties involved and, indirectly the reliability of human food raw materials. Meanwhile, the participants of agricultural production are variably quality conscious, so feed manufacturers support their supply chain and also their customers with professional background and they play a key role in safe food chains from farm to fork.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 069 ◽  
Author(s):  
April Hari Wardhana

<p class="awabstrak2">Increasing demand of protein source for animal feed, particularly fish meal and soybean meal has led to a problem in the future. It is a need to look for an alternative protein source, in order to meet amino acid requirements maintaining livestock production level. Insects possesing high quality, efficient dan rich protein content at all life stages such as Black Soldier Fly (BSF, <em>Hermetia illucens</em>) could be used as one of the alternatives. The flies grow and reproduce easily, have high feed efficiency and can be reared on bio-waste streams. These are neither pests nor vectors of diseases. Insect meal generally possesses levels of chemical contaminants which are below recommended maximum concentrations. The larvae have antibacterial (<em>Escherichia coli</em> O15:H7, <em>Salmonella enterica</em> serovar <em>Enteritidis</em>) and antiviral (enterovirus and adenovirus ) properties. Larvae of BSF could be scaled up easily and possess 40-50% protein content, including some essential amino acids that can be used to replace both fish meal and soybean meal in feed.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-12
Author(s):  
Jae-Suk Choi

The demand for alternative protein sources by the livestock industry has increased substantially. Therefore, insects are being promoted as a novel nutrient source in animal feed. As detailed in this review, eleven patents related to feeding insects to terrestrial animals including livestock and companion animals have been commercially applied. Six and eight of the patents have been used to produce poultry and fish, and crustacean feed, respectively. The most promising species for industrial feed production was the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), the mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), and the two-spotted cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus). Regarding research areas of the patents reviewed here, studies on the composition and optimal mixing ratio of feeds and on insect rearing, harvesting, and post-harvest technologies were mainly performed for the industrial mass production of safe and functional animal feeds containing insects. Continuous scientific innovations and improved processing technologies will aid further advancements in this field. Therefore, this review offers insights to identify directions of future research and provides information on different insect-based feedstuffs for animals including terrestrial livestock, fish and shellfish, and companion animals, as also discussed in various patents.


2019 ◽  
Vol 59 (11) ◽  
pp. 2029 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. de Souza-Vilela ◽  
N. R. Andrew ◽  
I. Ruhnke

Global meat consumption per capita is expected to increase ~40% from 2019 to 2050. Over 30% of the total cropland worldwide is currently being used to produce either livestock and poultry feed or silage to meet the demand. One solution to reduce cropland use for animal feed is to increase the production of alternative protein sources. The primary protein sources for animal nutrition, including soybeans, peas and fish meal, are of increasing demand and are subsequently becoming more expensive, making their long-term use unsustainable. Insects such as the black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens), crickets (Gryllus testaceus Walker) or mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) offer a viable addition to the feed sources and can provide valuable, high-quality energy, protein and fat to an animal’s diet. Here, we review the environmental benefits of insect feedstuff, current research findings related to the use of insects for animal nutrition, and outline additional products that can generate benefits to insect producers.


2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 63-67
Author(s):  
István Kiss

In the framework of the present study I analysed the wheat production sector. In order to evaluate the situation prevailing in the sector I conducted an economic analysis which I based on primary data collection. The year of investigation was the production year of 2011. Long-term implications for different crop sectors can only be based on multi-annual analysis, so in this article I only attempted to analyse the sector with respect to 2011. To evaluate wheat production I compiled its cost structure and assessed it. To evaluate its position in comparison to other crops I also carried out calculations to determine the gross margin (revenue minus variable cost)1 By gross margin I mean the gross margin (C), which is production value (PV) minus direct cost (DC), by definition (C=P-DC). of maize and rape. I observed that the gross margin attainable on one hectare was the lowest in the case of wheat. I applied two types of gross margin, because I consider it important that a given sector should also be profitable without subsidies. In the case of the gross margin including subsidies it is essential to emphasize the role of subsidies, since their ratio varied between 30 and 47% of the total revenue. The importance of subsidies was the most significant in the case of winter wheat.  


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marwa Shumo ◽  
Fathiya M. Khamis ◽  
Fidelis Levi Ombura ◽  
Chrysantus M. Tanga ◽  
Komi K. M. Fiaboe ◽  
...  

Globally, the expansion of livestock and fisheries production is severely constrained due to the increasing costs and ecological footprint of feed constituents. The utilization of black soldier fly (BSF) as an alternative protein ingredient to fishmeal and soybean in animal feed has been widely documented. The black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) used are known to voraciously feed and grow in contaminated organic wastes. Thus, several concerns about their safety for inclusion into animal feed remain largely unaddressed. This study evaluated both culture-dependent sequence-based and 16S rDNA amplification analysis to isolate and identify bacterial species associated with BSFL fed on chicken manure (CM) and kitchen waste (KW). The bacteria species from the CM and KW were also isolated and investigated. Results from the culture-dependent isolation strategies revealed that Providencia sp. was the most dominant bacterial species detected from the guts of BSFL reared on CM and KW. Morganella sp. and Brevibacterium sp. were detected in CM, while Staphylococcus sp. and Bordetella sp. were specific to KW. However, metagenomic studies showed that Providencia and Bordetella were the dominant genera observed in BSFL gut and processed waste substrates. Pseudomonas and Comamonas were recorded in the raw waste substrates. The diversity of bacterial genera recorded from the fresh rearing substrates was significantly higher compared to the diversity observed in the gut of the BSFL and BSF frass (leftovers of the rearing substrates). These findings demonstrate that the presence and abundance of microbiota in BSFL and their associated waste vary considerably. However, the presence of clinically pathogenic strains of bacteria in the gut of BSFL fed both substrates highlight the biosafety risk of potential vertical transmission that might occur, if appropriate pre-and-postharvest measures are not enforced.


2014 ◽  
pp. 97-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Electo Eduardo Silv Lora ◽  
Mateus Henrique Rocha ◽  
José Carlos Escobar Palacio ◽  
Osvaldo José Venturini ◽  
Maria Luiza Grillo Renó ◽  
...  

The aim of this paper is to discuss the major technological changes related to the implementation of large-scale cogeneration and biofuel production in the sugar and alcohol industry. The reduction of the process steam consumption, implementation of new alternatives in driving mills, the widespread practice of high steam parameters use in cogeneration facilities, the insertion of new technologies for biofuels production (hydrolysis and gasification), the energy conversion of sugarcane trash and vinasse, animal feed production, process integration and implementation of the biorefinery concept are considered. Another new paradigm consists in the wide spreading of sustainability studies of products and processes using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the implementation of sustainability indexes. Every approach to this issue has as an objective to increase the economic efficiency and the possibilities of the sugarcane as a main source of two basic raw materials: fibres and sugar. The paper briefly presents the concepts, indicators, state-of-the-art and perspectives of each of the referred issues.


Toxins ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 604
Author(s):  
Zhong-Xing Rao ◽  
Mike D. Tokach ◽  
Jason C. Woodworth ◽  
Joel M. DeRouchey ◽  
Robert D. Goodband ◽  
...  

Fumonisin contamination in corn is an emerging issue in animal feed production. Fumonisin disrupts the metabolism of sphingolipids and reduces growth performance. This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of feeding fumonisin-contaminated corn on growth performance and sphinganine (SA) to sphingosine (SO) ratios of 9 to 28 kg pigs. A total of 350 pigs, were used with 5 pigs/pen and 14 pens/treatment. Dietary treatments contained fumonisin-contaminated corn (50 mg/kg of fumonisin B1 + B2) blended with low fumonisin corn (10 mg/kg of fumonisin B1 + B2) to provide dietary fumonisin concentrations of 7.2, 14.7, 21.9, 32.7, and 35.1 mg/kg. From day 0 to 28, increasing fumonisin concentration decreased (linear, p < 0.001) average daily gain, average daily feed intake (linear, p = 0.055), and gain:feed ratio (linear, p = 0.016). Although these response criteria tested linear, the greatest reduction in performance was in pigs fed with 32.7 and 35.1 mg/kg of fumonisin (B1 + B2). Increasing fumonisin concentration increased the serum SA:SO ratio (linear, p < 0.001) on day 14 and 28. In summary, for 9 to 28 kg nursery pigs, increasing fumonisin linearly decreased average daily gain and gain:feed ratio. However, despite the linear response, diets containing up to 21.9 mg/kg of fumonisin did not have as dramatic a decrease in growth performance as those fed more than 32.7 mg/kg. Further research is warranted to determine the effect of fumonisin concentrations between 21.9 and 32.7 mg/kg.


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