This study was conducted to investigate black soldier fly larva meal (BSFLM) as
replacement for fish meal on general performance of broiler chick production.
The live larvae were poured into heated water at about 70 – 80oC and stirred for
about 5 minutes in order to make the larvae inactive. Filtered larvae were sun
dried to minimum moisture content and then milled. Two hundred and fifty Cobb
500 breed day-old chicks were randomly allotted at 50 chicks per treatment of 5
replicates using performance and cost implication as response criteria in a
Completely Randomized Design. The BSFLM was used to replace fish meal at
graded levels of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% and designated Diets I, II, III, IV and V,
respectively. The respective diets were fed to the chicks ad libitum from 1 – 21
days. Among all the growth parameters measured, only the total feed consumed
was significantly (P≤0.05) influenced by the dietary treatments. Highest total
feed consumed (620.79g) and lowest total feed consumed (562.34g) were
recorded in chicks fed diets I and III, respectively. Highest final weight (643.67g)
and highest weight gain (602.92g) were recorded in chicks fed diet I. The net
profit/started chicks was highest in chicks fed diet V. Generally, the net
profit/started chicks increased as the level of BSFLM increased in the diets. From
this study, the replacement of fish meal with BSFLM in the diets of broiler chicks
could help to reduce the over dependence of broiler producers on importation of
fish meal.