Productive performance, follicular development, and reproductive hormone profiles of laying hens fed with black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal as a substitute for fish meal

This study investigated the effects of dietary Hermetia illucens larvae meal as a substitute for a fish meal on productive performance, follicular development and reproductive hormones of laying hens from 0 to 55 weeks of age.A total of 480 day-old Isa Brown egg-type chickens were assigned to four dietary treatments: replacement of fish meal with larvae meal at 0% (T0), 50% (T50), 75% (T75), and 100% (T100). Fish meal was used at 8% levels in the control diet. Each treatment had 6 replicates of 20 birds. Data were collected on feed intake and live weights in the rearing period. In the egg-laying phase, feed intake, egg production, egg weight, ovary weight, oviduct weight, follicle number and reproductive hormones were evaluated.The use of Hermetia illucens larvae meal did not affect feed intake, daily weight gain, or feed conversion ratio in the starter and grower period. However, chicks in T50 had higher live weight at 8 weeks of age while live weight of the birds was subsequently increased with an increasing rate of larvae meal in the diet at 20 weeks of age. At the laying phase, feed intake and follicles number were not affected. However, ovary weight, oviduct weight and egg production were similar in the birds fed 100% and 75% larvae meal and significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared to the other groups. A lower feed conversion ratio was recorded in the birds fed 75% and 100% of Hermetia illucens larvae meal. The serum oestradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, progesterone, ovarian weight and oviduct relative weight increased significantly (p < 0.05) with the increase in the level of larvae meal.The data indicated that larvae meal can be included up to 8% in the diet at the starter, grower and laying phases for improved body weight and egg production.