DOI: https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/27.1.4693
Original scientific paper
Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal as an innovative feed source: analysis of its effect on broiler thigh quality
2026, 27 (1) p. 57-68
Stanislava DROTÁROVÁ, Branislav GÁLIK, Milan ŠIMKO, Miroslav JURÁČEK, Michal ROLINEC, Ondrej HANUŠOVSKÝ, Maria KAPUSNIAKOVÁ, Matus DŽIMA, Eva MIXTAJOVÁ, Kristina KOLBASKÁ
Abstract
The increased demand for poultry meat production, linked to the ever-growing global population, is exerting pressure on poultry meat producers. However, current trends emphasize sustainable, low-impact organic production. Consequently, the circular economy and the use of insects in production are coming to the fore as a potential for reducing biowaste and producing an alternative high-protein feed. The objective of the experiment was to observe the impact of varying concentrations of partially defatted insect meal from black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) on the qualitative and quantitative attributes of thigh muscle and bone in broiler poultry. The objective was to utilize an alternative protein source and to replace commercially fed soybean protein in the diets at replacement levels of 50% and 100%. A total of 131 Cobb 500 hybrid broilers were fattened for a period of 37 days. At the conclusion of the fattening period, 30 birds were selected for laboratory analysis and evaluation of baseline parameters. The effect of feeding the alternative protein source was found to have a statistically significant impact on the growth parameters of thigh muscle and bone length in broilers (P<0.05). The highest mean weight of thighs was observed in the experimental group, which received 100% of the alternative protein source, at 279.23 g, while the longest tibia bone was 91 mm in the same group. No significant changes were noted in the qualitative composition of the diet. The highest levels of lauric acid (C12:0) (6.45) and saturated fatty acids (38.44) were found in the 100% group.
Keywords
circular economy, insect meal, black soldier fly, broiler thigh quality, fatty acids
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