Chinese researchers studied the effects of different inclusion levels of Hermetia illucens larvae meal on the growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, blood parameters, and gut morphology of weanling piglets.
The results of the study show that feeding 2% full-fat H. illucens larvae meal to partly replace fishmeal changed the host metabolism, immune status, and intestinal morphology of weanling piglets. These findings provide information about the potential of H. illucens larvae meal as a suitable alternative fishmeal source.
A total of 128 weanling piglets were randomly assigned to 4 dietary treatment groups. Full-fat H. illucens larvae meal was included at increasing levels (0, 1, 2, and 4 %; HI0, HI1, HI2, and HI4, respectively) in isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets formulated for 2 feeding phases:
Each treatment consisted of 8 pens (replicates), with 4 pigs per pen. After 28 d of feeding, 8 piglets per treatment (n = 8) were slaughtered.
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This study was published in the journal Animal Feed Science and Technology