Broiler performance on maize (Zea mays) - cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) diets fortified with black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal

Effects of incorporating full-fat Black Soldier fly ( Hermetia illucens) larvae meal (BSFLM) in 4-d sprouted cowpea-based grower and finisher broiler diets were evaluated in broilers. Chicks were raised in an open deep litter facility; 360 Ross 308 chicks started (0-21 days) on a commercial starter diet. In week two, the chicks were divided by sex into 30 steel-framed pens (2.16 m(2)) and randomly assigned to five grower (22-35 d) and finisher (36-42 days) maize-based groups: commercial; soyabean, sprouted cowpeas with no BSFLM; sprouted cowpeas, low fat, with 5% BSFLM; sprouted cowpeas, high fat, with 5% BSFLM; and sprouted cowpeas with 10% BSFLM. Weekly pen feed intake, live weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were evaluated, with carcass measurements at 42 d. During the grower phase, broilers on commercial feed outperformed those on cowpea diets in growth and feed conversion. In the finisher phase, broilers on commercial feed had higher feed intake than those on sprouted cowpeas with 10% BSFLM. Broilers on commercial feed had higher feed intake, weight gain, and slaughter weights, and better feed conversion. Male broilers had higher feed intake during the grower phase and gained more weight during finishing. The 10% BSFLM reduced meat drip loss. BSFLM increased liver size and abdominal fat, especially in females, with an inverse effect on breast meat yield. BSFLM improved the efficacy of the sprouted-cowpea diets. Broiler performance followed the order commercial feed > sprouted cowpeas, 10% BSFLM > sprouted cowpeas, high-fat, 5% BSFLM > sprouted cowpeas, low-fat, 5% BSFLM > non-supplemented sprouted cowpea diet.