Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae in Livestock Diets
Introduction to Black Soldier Fly Larvae
The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, BSF) has received significant attention in the past decade or more due to the capacity of the larvae to upcycle low-value feed inputs and divert those inputs from landfills or other less sustainable options. Additionally, BSF is found on all continents except Antarctica and is thus not considered an invasive species. They present little risk of zoonotic disease and can actually reduce the presence of harmful bacteria and houseflies in various substrates. This insect is highly environmentally sustainable, requiring mere fractions of the inputs (feed, land, water, energy) used to produce traditional animal-based ingredients and emitting far fewer greenhouse gases.
Figure 1. Average greenhouse gas emissions (CO2-e/kg edible protein) for traditional animal-based and novel insect-based edible protein fractions*.
The finished products of BSF larvae (BSFL) rearing include: (a) whole dried BSFL, (b) partially defatted, protein-rich BSFL meal, and (c) BSFL oil (Fig. 2). BSFL-based ingredients are becoming widely accepted and utilized in both livestock feeds and pet foods. The nutrient composition of BSFL ingredients is shown in Table 1.
Figure 2. EnviroFlight’s BSFL-derived ingredients: EnviroMeal, EnviroBug, and EnviroOil.
Table 1. Nutrient composition and AA digestibility (in parentheses) of three BSFL ingredients.
U.S. Regulatory Status
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has defined whole-dried BSFL, ground-defatted BSFL, and BFSL oil for use in multiple species, including poultry, swine, and salmonids (Table 2). In the United States, BSFL themselves must be fed AAFCO-defined or GRAS ingredients. Therefore, the use of pre-consumer by-products is much more common than the use of post-consumer by-products, which may require more attention to risk mitigation.
Table 2. AAFCO feed ingredient definitions for BSFL ingredients.
Nutritional Applications
BSFL ingredients can be used in swine, poultry, aquaculture, and companion animal diets as an effective alternative to traditional protein and lipid ingredients. Little research has examined the use of these ingredients in cattle or other ruminants, although work in this area is currently underway.
In broilers, BSFL meal, up to 20% of the diet, and BSFL oil, up to 100% of the dietary added fat, maintained growth performance and carcass characterist...
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