Defatted yellow mealworm larvae (<I>Tenebrio molitor</I> l.) meal as possible alternative to fish meal in quail diets

Abstract

The effects of replacing fish meal (FM) in the diet with defatted mealworm larvae meal (DMLM) on growth, carcass, and biochemical constituents of serum of Japanese quail chicks were investigated. A total of 600 unsexed one-day-old chicks were allotted to five dietary treatments with six replicates of 20 chicks each. The diets were formulated by replacing FM with DMLM at the levels of 25% (D25), 50% (D50), 75% (D75), and 100% (D100). The FM, D25 and D50 diets resulted in greater final bodyweight, higher bodyweight gain, and improved feed conversion ratio compared with the other diets. Diets that contained DMLM decreased the feed intake compared with the FM diet. The FM and D25 diets increased the hot and cold carcass yields compared with the other diets, whereas the D75 and D100 diets significantly enhanced the relative weight of the small intestine and abdominal fat compared with FM, D25, and D50. The replacement of FM with DMLM reduced the serum globulin, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and the albumin to globulin ratio significantly. The best protein and energy efficiency ratios and European efficiency factor were obtained with the D25 and D50 diets. In conclusion, the replacement of FM with DMLM at the levels of 25% and 50% produced positive results in growth performance, in serum albumin to globulin ratio, and in nutrient use efficiency in quail.Keywords: performance, serum biochemistry, slaughtering

Low dietary inclusion levels of Tenebrio molitor larva meal slightly modify growth performance, carcass and meat traits of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

“…The inclusion of TM larvae meal in the diet of JQ provided satisfactory results in terms of carcass traits and cooking losses being comparable to the those obtained in the C group. Despite authors recently reporting that TM inclusion at 3 g 100 g −1 did not negatively affect the carcass weight of JQ, 12,14 others found that TM defatted larvae meal included at 2.3, 3.5 or 4.6 g 100 g −1 (DM basis) produced a detrimental effect on the carcass weight 13 due to the significant heavier small intestine and abdominal fat compared to the control and the group fed TM at 1.1 g 100 g −1 (DM basis). Colour is one of the main qualitative aspects that can influence food acceptance by consumers, and it is frequently used as an indicator of food's economic value.…”

“…However, 18% of the overall European poultry production in 2021 (in total, 13 741 million tonnes) is represented by other avian species, such as turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), duck (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus), quail (Coturnix coturnix), pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) and partridge (Alectoris barbara). 7 Despite the fact that several of these species (such as turkey and quail) commonly eat insects in their natural diet, limited studies have been conducted on barbary partridge, 8,9 broiler Japanese quail, [10][11][12][13][14] laying Japanese quail, 15,16 and turkey. 17 Focusing on Japanese quail (JQ), increasing levels of dietary TM in diets up to 3 g 100 g −1 could improve quail body weight (BW), feed conversion ratio (FCR), carcass yield and jejunum morphology.…”

Effects of a Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Extract on Metabolic Syndrome-Related Pathologies: In Vitro Insulin Sensitivity, Inflammatory Response, Hypolipidemic Activity and Oxidative Stress

“…Others authors have recently shown the in vitro cholesterol-binding capacity of mealworm flour, as well as that of other edible insects [ 35 ]. In vivo, T. molitor has been demonstrated to decrease the serum total cholesterol in quails and mandarin fish fed with different levels of this insect, suggesting a link between the potential hypocholesterolemic activity and chitin contained in the mealworm [ 36 , 37 , 38 ]. Further studies elucidating the compounds contained in the mealworm extract responsible for the potential hypocholesterolemic activity might be of interest in order to develop insect food products aimed at enhancing this effect.…”

Fishmeal replacement by mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) in diet of farmed Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei): effects on growth performance, serum biochemistry, and immune response

“…IM chitin prevents the absorption of cholesterol and lipid by binding to anionic carboxyl groups of fat and bile acids in the intestine and connecting them to neutral lipids with hydrophobic bonds. Additionally, chitin increases the excretion of cholesterol and lipids in feces by inhibiting the reabsorption of bile cholesterol (Šimunek and Bartonová, 2005;Yildirim et al, 2020).…”