Meat Quality Parameters of Boschveld Indigenous Chickens as Influenced by Dietary Yellow Mealworm Meal

An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of yellow mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) meal inclusion in diets of indigenous chickens. A total of 160 mixed-sex indigenous Boschveld chickens were randomly divided into four categories: control soybean meal (SBM) and yellow mealworm with percentage levels of 5, 10 and 15 (TM5, TM10 and TM15, respectively). Five replicate pens per treatment were used, with eight birds per pen/replicate. On day 60, two birds from each replicate were slaughtered and eviscerated. Meat quality parameters were measured out on raw carcass and cooked breast meat. The carcass weight, breast weight and gizzard weight of the control group was higher (p < 0.05) than the treatment group (TM15). The cooking loss was lower (p < 0.05) in the SBM control group but higher in the TM15 group. Colour characteristics of breast meat before cooking was lighter in the TM10 and TM15 group, ranged from 61.7 to 69.3 for L* and was significant (p < 0.05). The TM10 and TM15 groups showed a lighter colour than the SBM and TM5 groups. The breast meat pH taken after slaughter was different (p < 0.05) in TM5 and TM15, with the highest reading (pH 6.0) in the TM5 group. In conclusion, our experiment indicated that dietary Tenebrio molitor in growing Boschveld indigenous chickens’ diets could be considered a promising protein source for Boschveld indigenous chickens.

Impact of ergot-contaminated feed on yellow mealworm larvae performance and diet preference

This study aimed to determine if ergot alkaloids (EA) would accumulate in yellow mealworm larvae (YML, Tenebrio molitor) when present in their diets and investigate effects on production and survival. Larvae were reared on one of four diets: a control, low, medium, and high containing 63, 3,863, 8,471 and 15,316 μg/kg total EA, respectively. Each diet had five replicates with 150 YML per replicate totalling 3,000 for the 21-day trial. Initial and final weights of the feed and larvae were collected. Ergot alkaloid concentrations in YML at d 21 were 32.6, 94.0 and 155.5 μg/kg in the low, medium, and high treatments respectively, with none detected in those fed the control diet. The frass from YML fed the control, low, medium and high diets contained 18, 364, 1,094, and 1,424 μg/kg total EA, respectively. Feed intake was reduced in larvae fed the low, medium and high treatments relative to the control at 23.3-24.9 g/21 d compared to 30.1 g in the control (P=0.02). Feed-to-gain ratios, average daily gain, and final body weights did not differ among treatments (P>0.05). The larvae did not display any preference for diets when allowed to choose between the four diets (P>0.05). Larvae accumulated only low levels of EA from their diets and although feed intake was depressed, growth was maintained. Further research is required to determine the safety of yellow mealworm reared on EA-contaminated diets.

Feeding the Laying Quails with Mealworm Larvae Meal and Alterations in Egg Quality and Yolk Fatty Acid Profile

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different levels of mealworm (Tenebrio Molitor) larvae meal in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) diets on performance, egg quality, yolk color, and yolk fatty acid composition. A total of forty-eight, 14 weeks-old laying quails were used with 4 replicates in control (basal diet), mealworm larvae meal (MLM) 2% or 4 % treatment groups. Results showed that independently of inclusion level dietary MLM did not affect performance and egg quality parameters. However, color values (L*, a*, b*) of egg yolk changed with the inclusion of both levels of MLM to diet (p<0.5). Outcomes also displayed dietary MLM altered the fatty acid composition of egg yolk dependably the additional level (p<0.5). Diets containing 2 and 4 % MLM did not affect total saturated fatty acid (ƩSFA) content, however, increased total monounsaturated fatty acids (ƩMUFA) (p<0.5). Both supplemental levels of dietary MLM decreased significantly the total polyunsaturated fatty acids (ƩPUFA) of the yolk compared to the control group (p<0.5). According to outcomes of this study, MLM may use in safe as feed material instead of soybean meal at levels of 2 or 4 % without effect on performance parameters in laying quail diets.

Biodegradation of Different Types of Plastics by Tenebrio molitor Insect

Looking for new, sustainable ways to utilize plastics is still a very pertinent topic considering the amount of plastics produced in the world. One of the newest and intriguing possibility is the use of insects in biodegradation of plastics, which can be named entomoremediation. The aim of this work was to demonstrate the ability of the insect Tenebrio molitor to biodegrade different, real plastic waste. The types of plastic waste used were: remains of thermal building insulation polystyrene foam (PS), two types of polyurethane (kitchen sponge as PU1 and commercial thermal insulation foam as PU2), and polyethylene foam (PE), which has been used as packaging material. After 58 days, the efficiency of mass reduction for all of the investigated plastics was 46.5%, 41.0%, 53.2%, and 69.7% for PS, PU1, PU2, and PE, respectively (with a dose of 0.0052 g of each plastic per 1 mealworm larvae). Both larvae and imago were active plastic eaters. However, in order to shorten the duration of the experiment and increase the specific consumption rate, the two forms of the insect should not be combined together in one container.

Utilising yellow mealworm larvae reared on deoxynivalenol-contaminated wheat as a feed ingredient for poultry diets

This study determined if yellow mealworm larvae (YML) grown on deoxynivalenol (DON) contaminated wheat would affect broiler chicken performance. The YML were reared on wheat with low (LDW; 630 μg/kg) or high (HDW; 30,730 μg/kg) DON concentrations. The DON concentrations in the dried insect meals were 0 or 17.5 μg/kg for YML grown on LDW and HDW, respectively. Seventy-five male Ross 708 broilers were randomly placed into 15 cages and reared on one of three diets from day 1-35 (five replications/treatment). On day 14, broiler numbers were reduced to four per cage. The diets consisted of a control containing no YML meal (CD) and two diets containing 5% YML meal produced on either LDW (LMD) or HDW (HMD). Feed intake and body weight (BW) were measured over the duration of the experiment to calculate feed to gain ratio (F:G). On day 35, all birds were slaughtered and dissected to collect weights of the breasts, thighs, drums, wings, abdominal fat pads, and organs. Crude protein retention was higher in birds fed the LMD and HMD treatments compared to CD (P=0.0091). Dry matter retention was higher in the HMD diet compared to the CD and LMD diets (P=0.0046). Feed intake was lower in birds fed HMD compared to CD and LMD (P=0.0031) although final BW was not reduced. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of YML did not affect the growth, meat yield or organ weights of the birds. The YML reared on DON-contaminated wheat (up to 30,730 ug/kg) and included in broiler diets at 5% could be an effective means of converting salvage wheat into a safe and sustainable source of protein.

Utilization of Carrot Pomace to Grow Mealworm Larvae (Tenebrio molitor)

Edible insects are a sustainable food source to help feed the growing population. Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) can survive on a variety of food wastes and alter their composition based on the feed source. Commercial carrot production produces an abundance of carotenoid-rich carrot pomace, which may be beneficial for mealworm larvae growth. This study uses an I-optimal response surface design to assess the effect of dehydrated carrot pomace concentrations (made up with wheat bran as the control) in the substrate and wet carrot pomace as the moisture source (potato and carrot as control moisture sources) in a mealworm-larvae-growing system. Using this design, statistical models were fit to determine the relationship between the substrate and moisture and dependent variables, which include mealworm larvae mortality, days to maturity, weight, protein content, fat content, moisture content, ash content, and total carotenoid content. An optimum diet was proposed, in which the best diet for improving commercial mealworm growth was found to contain 36% dehydrated carrot pomace in the substrate, with wet carrot pomace as the moisture source. This research provides an application for a commercial waste stream and provides insight to help improve the growth of a sustainable protein source.

The effects of density on the growth, survival and feed conversion of Tenebrio molitor larvae

An appropriate stocking density is beneficial to run an efficient business and improve animal welfare. In most traditional livestock this is defined as the number of animals per area. However, the larvae of the mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), one of the most important commercial insects, live both on top and inside their feed. In this study we assessed if different areal stocking densities (2D, range 0.6-10.4 larvae/cm2) resulted in a different growth rate and feed efficiency when the volumetric stocking density remained constant (1 larvae/cm3). In a first experiment the larvae received wheat bran once at the start, but in the second experiment wheat bran was added throughout the experiment to ensure that the larvae remained at 1 larvae/cm3. The results indicate that, given a stable volumetric density, the areal density can vary between 0.6 and 10.4 larvae/cm2 without extreme variation in growth, survival or feed efficiency. The lowest assessed densities did result in a slightly lower average weight and yield. A maximum yield per volume of feed was observed at 2.5 larvae/cm2 (feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 1.76 dry feed/live larvae). Yet, the overall highest yield was observed at 10.4 larvae/cm2 as the increased areal density far outweighed the slight decrease in FCR. In conclusion: when mealworm larvae are provided with an equal volume of wheat bran the influence of areal density is low and could be as high as 10.4 larvae/cm2 for optimal yield.