• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.624-633
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• 2021

This study was conducted to determine the supplemental effects of two insect meals, mealworm (MW) and black soldier fly (BSF), with high or low lipid levels in diets, on Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Sardine and tuna by-product meals were used as the fish meal source in a control (Con) diet. The fish meals were replaced with MW, defatted MW (deMW), BSF or defatted BSF (deBSF), respectively. The shrimp (body weight: 0.47 g) were stocked into 20 acryl tanks (215 L) and fed the diets six times a day. After 45 days of the feeding trial, the shrimp that were fed insect meals had significantly higher phenoloxidase and superoxide dismutase activities than the shrimp fed Con diet. The gene expressions of prophenoloxidase, crustin and penaeidine-3c in shrimp hepatopancrease were also higher in shrimp that were fed the insect diets, regardless of defatting than those in shirmp that were fed Con diet. The survival against Vibrio parahaemolyticus was higher in shrimp that were fed the diets containing defatted insect meals than in shrimp that were fed Con diet. These results indicate that MW and BSF, regardless of lipid levels, could be good protein sources for the enhancement of innate immunity and anti-oxidant capacity of the shrimp.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.373-379
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• 2023

The dietary inclusion of black soldier fly larvae meal Hermetia illucens (BSL) for starry flounder Platichthys stellatus was examined in a four-month trial at a Pohang fish farm. Two diets were prepared: a fish meal-based commercial diet (CD) and an experimental diet containing 7% BSL in the CD (BCD). Fish (average weight, 125.2 g) were reared in a square concrete tank (7×7 m) in triplicates. Feed efficiency was significantly higher in fish fed BCD compared to that of the fish fed CD. The DHA/EPA ratio in dorsal muscle was not significantly affected by the fatty acid composition of the experimental diets. Based on the growth performance, the feed cost for producing 1 kg of starry flounder was 1,797 won for CD and 1,814 won for BCD. With government subsidies the feed cost for producing 1 kg of starry flounder was 1,481 won for CD and 1,309 won for BCD. The results indicate that BSL can be included at 7% without adverse effects on growth performance, fillet composition, or feed cost. However, further research is needed to determine the optimum percentage of BSL as a replacement of FM in starry flounder diets.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.965-972
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• 2023

As the world population growth and economy develops, the importance of eco-friendly organic waste resource treatment and up-cycling increases. Black soldier fly (BSF) (Hermetia illucens) treats organic waste resources that allows it to be recycled as a feed resource. In this study, we analyzed the nutrients composition, amino acid, and fatty acids of BSF larvae fed three agricultural by-products, namely apple pomace, mandarin waste, and oriental melon waste (mainly generated in South Korea). The highest BSF larvae crude protein and amino acid content was obtained in those fed mandarin waste compared with the other two diets (apple pomace and oriental melon waste). BSF larvae fed apple pomace had the highest crude fat, fatty acid, and lauric acid content compared with the other BSF larvae. Furthermore, all crude protein and fat content of BSF larvae fed the three agricultural by-products exceed that of the original agricultural by-products.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.2167-2177
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• 2024

Objective: Black soldier fly (BSF) as an animal protein feed source is currently becoming a hot research topic. This study investigated the effects of the BSF as a protein feed source for goats on slaughter performance, muscle nutrient composition, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, and antioxidant levels. Methods: Thirty Qianbei Ma goats (20.30±1.09 kg) were randomly divided into three groups: the control group (GRP_C) supplemented with 10% full-fat soybean, treatment 1 (GRP_U) supplemented with 10% untreated BSF, and treatment 2 (GRP_T) supplemented with 10% heat-treated BSF. One-way analysis of variance among groups (with Fisher's least significant difference post hoc comparison) was used in this study. Results: The nutrients, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, and antioxidants in muscle were analyzed. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the moisture, dry matter, crude protein, ash, amino acids, and mineral content of the muscles among the three feeding groups. The slaughter rate and carcass weight of the GRP_U and GRP_T groups were significantly lower (p<0.05). The overall meat quality of the GRP_U and GRP_T groups decreased (p<0.05). The individual unsaturated fatty acids and total unsaturated fatty acids in the GRP_U group were higher (p<0.05) than those in the GRP_C and GRP_T groups. Both GRP_U and GRP_T decreased (p<0.05) the antioxidant capacity of the meat. Conclusion: Therefore, the heat-treated BSF had a better effect on meat quality compared to untreated BSF, but there were greater negative effects on the meat quality of GRP_U and GRP_T than GRP_C.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.30-35
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• 2013

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of the black soldier fly (bsf) larvae on growth performance, carcass rate, and fatty acid profile of chicken meat in broiler chicks. Four hundred eighty 1-d-old broilers (Ross 308) were distributed into 3 treatments with 4 pens at 30 birds per replicate. Treatments were corn-soybean meal based broiler diet (control) and the basal diet replaced with bsf at the level of 3 and 6% respectively. Viability was not different significantly. Body weight gain was higher in control than other treatments. Feed intake was not statistically different of treatments. Feed conversion ratio was lower in control than other treatments. Relative weight of breast meat was significantly increased in all treated groups than in control. But, another relative weights of chicken meat cuts (thigh, wing, neck, back) were not significantly different among the groups. In conclusion, it could be suggested that dietary supplementation of black soldier flylarvae could beneficially improved the performance on broiler.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.5
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• pp.1002-1013
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• 2023

The objectives of the present study were to determine the nutrient digestibility of fish meal, defatted black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), and adult flies and to develop equations for estimating in vitro nutrient digestibility of BSFL for pigs. In vitro digestion procedures were employed to mimic the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the pig intestine. Correlation coefficients between chemical composition and in vitro nutrient digestibility of BSFL were calculated. In Exp. 1, in vitro ileal digestibility (IVID) of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) and in vitro total tract digestibility (IVTTD) of DM and organic matter in defatted BSFL meal were less (p < 0.05) than those in fish meal but were greater (p < 0.05) than those in adult flies. In Exp. 2, CP concentrations in BSFL were negatively correlated with ether extract (r = -0.91) concentration but positively correlated with acid detergent fiber (ADF; r = 0.98) and chitin (r = 0.95) concentrations. ADF and chitin concentrations in BSFL were negatively correlated with IVID of DM (r = -0.98 and -0.88) and IVTTD of DM (r = -1.00 and -0.94) and organic matter (r = -0.99 and -0.98). Prediction equations for in vitro nutrient digestibility of BSFL were developed: IVID of CP (%) = -0.95 × ADF (% DM) + 95 (r² = 0.75 and p = 0.058) and IVTTD of DM (%) = -2.09 × ADF + 113 (r² = 0.99 and p < 0.001). The present in vitro experiments suggest that defatted BSFL meal was less digestible than fish meal but was more digestible than adult flies, and nutrient digestibility of BSFL can be predicted using ADF as an independent variable.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.861-869
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• 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the effectivity of full-fat black soldier fly Hermetia illucens (BSF) and defatted mealworm Tenebrio molitor (MW) larvae meal as a fish meal (FM) substitute in a low-fish meal (LFM) diet for juvenile olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. The LFM diet comprising 45% FM with tankage meal, poultry byproduct meal, soy protein concentrate and wheat gluten was the control diet. Three experimental diets were 10% FM in Con with BSF, MW and a mixture of both at the same ratio (designated as B10, M10 and B5M5, respectively). Four hundred and forty-fourth juvenile P. olivaceus (34.3±0.1 g) were randomly distributed into 12 tanks (425 L) in three replicate groups per treatment and fed the experimental diets for 15 weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, growth performance, survival, biological indices (condition factor, viscerosomatic index, hepatosomatic index), non-specific immune responses (lysozyme, myeloperoxidase) and intestinal histology (villi length and goblet cells) were not significantly affected by treatments. Feed utilization was significantly decreased in M10 compared to the control group. Alanine aminotransferase level was significantly higher in M10 than in the control group. Glucose level was significantly lower in B10 than in the control group. These results suggest that BSF and MW can be used as FM substitutes. However, considering feed conversion ratio and AST level, MW availability is thought to be lower than that of BSF, and feeding fish with a diet containing MW for an extended period is thought to adversely affect fish growth.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.5
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• pp.1014-1023
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• 2023

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of incorporating black soldier fly (BSF) larvae and its processed form as an alternative source of protein to fish meal (FM) on the digestibility of amino acids (AA) in weaned pigs. Four cannulated pigs with an initial bodyweight of 13.25 ± 0.25 kg and aged 30 days were subjected to a 4 × 4 Latin square design with three treatments, as well as a nitrogen-free treatment. The diets used for each treatment consisted of a FM diet, a diet containing BSF larvae meal (BSFM), and a diet containing extruded BSF (BSFE). The study was conducted over four stages, with a total duration of 28 days. The apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of protein was higher in the FM treatment compared with the BSFM. Among essential AA, the AID of Arg, His, Leu, and Thr were higher in the FM compared with the BSFM and BSFE. A greater AID of Ile and Phe was observed in pigs in the FM treatment compared with the BSFM. The average AA digestibility did not show any difference between treatments. Among non-essential AA, the AID of Ala (p = 0.054) and Glu (p = 0.064) tended to be increased in the FM compared with the BSFM. Among essential AA, the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of Arg, His, Ile, and Leu were higher in the FM compared with the BSFM. Among non-essential AA, the SID of Cys (p = 0.074) tended to be increased in the FM compared with the BSFM. In conclusion, the processing and thermal conditioning techniques utilized for BSF larvae meal showed a tendency for increased AA digestibility. Therefore, when formulating a diet, it is important to take into account the difference in AA digestibility between FM and BSFM.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.1290-1307
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• 2023

This study investigated the effect of processed forms (defatted or hydrolyzed) of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens L., BSFL) as a protein substitute on broilers. Experiment 1 was a feeding experiment, and Experiment 2 was a metabolism experiment. In Experiment 1, a total of 120 day-old Arbor Acres broilers (initial body weight 39.52 ± 0.24 g) were used for 28 days. There were 8 replicate pens, and 5 broilers were assigned to each pen. In Experiment 2, a total of 36 day-old broilers (initial body weight 39.49 ± 0.21 g) were used for the metabolism trial. There were 2 broilers in a metabolism cage and six replicate cages per treatment. The dietary treatments were as follows: a basal diet (CON), a basal diet without fishmeal and substitute with defatted BSFL (T1), a basal diet without fishmeal and a substitute with hydrolyzed BSFL (T2). In Experiment 1, during the entire experimental period, the T2 group significantly increased (p < 0.05) body weight gain and feed intake compared to the CON and T1 groups. The feed conversion ratio showed a lower tendency (p = 0.057) in the T2 group than in the CON and T1 groups. At 2 weeks, the CON and T2 groups were significantly higher (p < 0.05) crude protein (CP) digestibility than the T1 group. At 4 weeks, the total protein level significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the CON and T2 groups compared to the T1 group. In Experiment 2, the CP digestibility significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the T2 group compared to the CON and T1 group at weeks 2 and 4. At week 4 amino acid digestibility, the T2 group significantly increased (p < 0.05) lysine, methionine, tryptophan, and glycine digestibility compared to the T1 group. There was no difference in fecal microbiota among the treatment groups. In conclusion, feeding hydrolyzed BSFL as a fishmeal substitute in broiler diets improved growth performance, CP digestibility, and specific amino acid digestibility. Therefore, it is considered that hydrolyzed BSFL in broiler diets can be sufficiently used as a new protein source.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.231-239
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• 2021

This study evaluated the effect of microwave-dried black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal (HILM) as a dietary protein source for broiler diets. A total of 250 male broilers were randomly allocated to five dietary treatment groups (10 replicates and 5 birds·pen^-1) which were respectively fed the following: a control diet (HI0) and four experimental diets in which soybean meal was replaced with 2 (HI2), 4, 6, and 8% HILM. At the end of the study (35 d), blood samples were collected from 10 randomly selected broilers (1 bird per pen) to determine serum parameters. Then, the broilers were slaughtered to determine volatile fatty acid (VFA) profiles in cecal digesta. The average daily gain and average daily feed intake linearly decreased (p < 0.01), and the feed conversion ratio linearly increased (p < 0.05) according to the inclusion level of HILM; however, there were no significant differences between the HI0 and HI2 groups. Dietary HILM increased (p < 0.01) the total VFAs in cecal digesta and decreased (p < 0.05) the triglyceride level in the blood. The broilers fed HILM had lower (p < 0.01) serum phosphorus levels; dietary HILM increased (p < 0.05) the serum calcium level. The total VFAs in cecal digesta were positively influenced by the dietary microwave-dried HILM. However, a low inclusion level (2%) of HILM in broiler diets is proper in terms of growth performance and health.