Partial replacement of soybean meal with Musca domestica larvae meal in broiler diets: implications for growth performance, nutrient utilization, hemato-biochemical profile and organoleptic characteristics

The present investigation aimed to assess the impact of substituting soybean meal (SBM) with Musca domestica larvae meal (HMM) in the diet of broilers (Ross 308, n = 1000 ) during the initial 1-28 d of their growth period. Four isocaloric and isonitrogenous broiler rations were formulated, including a control group (Mag-0) with 100 % SBM and 0 % HMM, diet 2 (Mag-10) with 90 % SBM and 10 % HMM, diet 3 (Mag-20) with 80 % SBM and 20 % HMM, and diet 4 (Mag-30) with 70 % SBM and 30 % HMM. The analysis of amino acid concentrations in diets revealed slight increases in most essential and nonessential amino acids, except for phenylalanine, arginine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid and serine, with increasing levels of SBM substitution with HMM. Digestibility of nutrients, including dry matter, nitrogen-free extract, crude protein ether extract, ash and crude fiber, was not significantly affected across different substituted diets. Similarly, amino acid digestibility did not differ among various diets of SBM substituted with house fly larvae meal. Weekly and overall body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratios were similar across all birds fed different replacement diets. Apparent metabolizable energy, protein efficiency ratio, dressing percentage and antibody titre also showed no significant differences among the substituted diets and the control group. Similarly, hematological and organoleptic studies exhibited statistically similar effects. Overall, the study concludes that substituting up to 30 % of SBM with HMM in broiler rations does not adversely affect health or performance in broiler chickens.