Effect of Replacing the Powder of the Larvae of the Black Soldier Fly with Protein Concentrate in the Diet on the Productive Traits of Laying Hens

Abstract

     The experiment was conducted in the poultry farm affiliated to Al-Amer Poultry Company in Al-Mahawil District of Babil Governorate, to study the effect of replacing black soldier fly larvae (BSF) powder in the place of protein concentrate in the diet on the productive characteristics of laying hens. 60 laying hens of 55 weeks of age of brown Lohmann strain were used for the period from 29/9/2020 to 18/1/2021, raised in cages and randomly distributed to five treatments and four replicates for each treatment (3 hens/ replicates). The replacement ratio according to the treatments was T1: control and contained 100% commercial protein concentrate without adding BSF larval powder, T2: BSF larval meal was partially replaced by 25% in the place of protein concentrate, T3: BSF larval meal was partially replaced by 50% in the place of protein concentrate, T4: Partially replace 75% BSF larval powder in protein concentrate, T5: completely replace 100% BSF larvae powder. The results showed during the total period of the experiment (56-71) weeks that there were no significant differences between the experiment treatments in the characteristic of egg production percentage (HD%), egg weight, egg mass, feed intake and feed conversion ratio.