Replacement Of Fish Meal With Maggots In Broiler Diets: Effects On Performance And Nutrient Retention

Abstract

The effects of replacing 0, 33.3, 66.7 or 100% of dietary fish meal (9%) with housefly maggots (Musca domestica. Linn) was investigated using broilers from day old to 5 weeks of age.  Increasing the dietary level of maggots reduced feed intake and weight gain while increasing the feed: gain ratio (P>0.05), There was however no significant effect of dietary maggots on mortality rate (P>0.05). Replacement of dietary fish meal with maggots caused significant reduction in nitrogen retention (P<0.05) but an increase in fat retention (P>0.05). There was no significant effect of replacing dietary fish meal with maggots on the metabolizable energy value of the diets (P>0.05).  It is concluded that maggots could replace only 33% of dietary fish meal (9%) without compromising performance and nutrient retention in broiler chicks. The cost of harvesting and processing maggots is about 15% of equivalent weight of fish meal, making even partial replacement of fishmeal with maggots economical.