The Effect of Tenebrio molitor Caterpillar in the Diet on Production Performance of Laying Quail

Abstract

The Tenebrio molitor caterpillar (Tmc) is an alternative source of animal protein. This research aims to study the effect of the Tenebrio molitor caterpillar in concentrate and tofu dregs growth media on nutrient content and determine the Tmc effect in the diet on the production of laying quail. The study was divided into two stages of research. Phase 1 of the laboratory experiment determined the composition of the concentrate and tofu dregs media on the nutrient content of Tenebrio molitor. This study method was a completely randomized design (CRD) with six treatments and three replications. The treatment variations consist of commercial ration (CR) and tofu dregs (TD) were treatment P1 (100% CR), P2 (80% CR + 20% TD), P3 (60% CR+ 40% TD), P4 (40% CR + 20% TD), P5 (20% CR + 80% TD) and P6 (100% TD). The observed variables were fresh weight, crude protein, and crude fat of Tmc. The Phase 2 application to laying quails is the utilization of Tenebrio molitor caterpillars in the diet. This stage used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and four replications. Provision of Tenebrio molitor caterpillars consisted of 0%, 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12% in the diet of laying quail. The parameters measured were feed consumption, daily egg production, egg weight, egg mass, and feed conversion. Phase 1 showed that the difference in growth media composition had a significant effect (P<0.01) on fresh weight, crude protein, and crude fat. The Phase 2 variance analysis results showed that the use of Tmc in the diet had no significant effect (P> 0.05) on feed consumption, egg production, egg weight, egg mass, and feed conversion. The study concluded at stage 1 that 100% tofu dregs medium was the best treatment to improve the nutrient content of the Tenebrio molitor caterpillar. Stage 2 concluded that the Tenebrio molitor caterpillar could be used up to 12% in laying quail rations (substituted 100% fish meal) and maintain the same egg production as control.

The Effect of Temperature and Storage Duration on Physical Quality of Japanese Quail Eggs Fed Containing Fermented Turbinaria murayana

“…The experiment results indicate that there is no significant interaction (p>0.05) between temperature and storage time of quail eggs fed with fermented T. murayana seaweed meal in the diet on the physical quality of eggs (egg weight, shell weight, shell thickness, yolk weight, yolk colour, and haugh unit). Quail egg weight varies based on protein intake and the quails' age (Santos et al, 2011;Nuraini et al, 2022). Analysis of variance results indicates no interaction (p>0.05) between storage temperature and storage time on the weight of quail eggs.…”