Location: Arthropod-borne Animal Diseases Research
Project Number: 3020-10400-001-012-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2025
End Date: Sep 14, 2029
Objective:
Research Objectives:
1. Collect and prepare insect meal from wild harvested house flies and perform microbiological safety and nutrient analysis of the meal to formulate broiler rations that optimize methionine levels.
2. Evaluate growth performance and meat quality of broiler chickens fed with insect-based meals compared to those fed synthetic methionine.
3. Conduct economic analysis to evaluate the feasibility of insect meals as a viable source of methionine in organic poultry diets.
4. Conduct on-farm testing for ascertaining the effectiveness of treatments in organic poultry production systems.
The extension/education objectives of this proposal are to:
1. Disseminate results of the project to the organic poultry community, through a multitude of delivery methods including conferences, electronic and printed materials, and training activities in a research and teaching oriented organic poultry facility.
2. Conduct train the trainer programs for extension specialists and other interested stakeholders on project objectives, results and applications.
Approach:
The project team assembled has a complex and complementary set of interdisciplinary scientific and practical skills necessary successfully complete the research under the proposed objectives.
Objective 1: Collect and prepare insect meal from wild harvested flies and perform microbiological safety and nutrient analysis of the meal to formulate broiler rations that optimize methionine levels.
The traps will be deployed at multiple locations to collect houseflies from poultry farms and, the flies will be dried and prepared into a meal. The dried insect meal will be screened for the presence of poultry and human pathogens including Salmonella sp., Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter jejuni using standard culture and PCR-based detection methods to ensure the safety of inclusion of insect meals in poultry rations. Insect meals will be subjected to electron beam treatment (prior to inclusion in poultry diets) in case if we detect any pathogens. The insect meals produced will be analyzed for available nutrients and digestibility. The data generated will be used to formulate rations that are optimized for methionine levels.
Objective 2: Evaluate growth parameters, feed efficiency and meat quality using an insect derived meal compared to the synthetic methionine product fed to meat birds.
Starter and Grower diets will be formulated incorporating the yellow mealworm larvae meal. A feeding trial was conducted to test the impact of these diets on broilers. The birds will be processed after 49 days to assess the meat and carcass qualities of birds fed with insect meal diet in comparison to the control birds. Apart from meat quality characteristics, the effect of Insect-based diet on flavor and consumer perception of broiler meat will also be assessed.
Objective 3: Conduct economic analysis to evaluate the feasibility of insect meals as a viable source of methionine in organic poultry diets.
Studies will be conducted to determine the economic feasibility of the harvested insect meal and adult cricket meal as a feed ingredient for commercial poultry production.
Objective 4: On farm testing of effectiveness of treatments in organic poultry broiler and layer production systems.
To test the effectiveness and practical use of insect meals, on-farm studies will be conducted at a local poultry farm to evaluate the growth rate and meat characteristics of broiler chickens fed with insect-based diet.