2022 journal article
Improvements in Performance of Nursery Pigs Provided with Supplemental Oil Derived from Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae
ANIMALS, 12(23).
author keywords: black soldier fly larvae; insects; lauric acid; nursery pigs; oil
open access via www.mdpi.com (publisher PDF)
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
2. Zero Hunger
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3. Good Health and Well-being
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12. Responsible Consumption and Production
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13. Climate Action
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15. Life on Land
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Source: Web Of Science
Added: January 3, 2023
The current study evaluated the impact of increasing levels of supplemental black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) oil, a novel and sustainable feed ingredient, on growth performance and blood chemistry indices in nursery pigs. Pigs were weaned at 21 days of age (n = 192; body weight = 6.9 ± 0.15 kg) and randomly allotted within sex and body weight to 1 of 4 dietary treatments, using 48 pens (4 pigs/pen). Treatments contained 0, 2, 4, or 6% supplemental BSFL oil, replacing equivalent quantities of corn oil. A 3-phase feeding program was used with 14, 11, and 15 days for phase 1 to 3, respectively. Supplementation of BSFL oil linearly (p ≤ 0.052) improved pig body weight and daily gain throughout the study and overall. No differences were observed in feed intake; however, feed efficiency was linearly improved with BSFL oil supplementation for phase 1 and 2 (p < 0.05). Serum cholesterol increased linearly (p = 0.002) and platelet count tended to increase linearly (p = 0.082) with increasing BSFL oil. No other differences were detected in blood chemistry and all results were within normal ranges. In conclusion, BSFL oil is a valuable, energy-dense feed ingredient that can promote growth performance of nursery pigs.