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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

The potential of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) and microalgae (MA) in poultry diets has garnered increasing interest due to their high nutritional value and reduced environmental footprint. BSFL represent a sustainable alternative to conventional protein sources such as soybean meal, whereas MA contributes to improved egg quality, particularly through its enrichment with polyunsaturated fatty acids. This study assessed the effects of BSFL and MA inclusion on the growth performance and egg quality of Rhode Island Red (RIR) laying hens. Three diets were formulated: Diet A (10% BSFL), Diet B (10% BSFL + 2% MA), and Diet C (commercial control). The diets were formulated to meet the age-specific nutrient requirements of RIR hens, according to the National Research Council (NRC, 1994) guidelines. A total of 96 four-week-old chicks were randomly allocated to six pens (n = 16 per pen) and provided ad libitum access to feed and water throughout the trial. The results demonstrated that the inclusion of BSFL and MA significantly influenced the growth rate, onset of lay, and egg characteristics. Hens fed Diet B exhibited the highest average weekly body weight gain (0.034 ± 0.001 kg/week); initiated laying at 20 weeks of age, three weeks earlier than hens on Diets B and C; and produced significantly heavier eggs (51.208 ± 0.511 g). Enhanced eggshell quality and yolk pigmentation were also observed. In addition, Diet B enhanced the nutritional profile of the eggs, yielding a higher albumen protein content (76.546 ± 1.382%DM) and lower lipid concentrations (0.451 ± 0.128%DM). These findings underscore the potential of BSFL and MA as functional feed ingredients for improving poultry performance and egg quality in a sustainable production system.

Details

Title
Egg Quality and Laying Performance of Rhode Island Red Hens Fed with Black Soldier Fly Larvae and Microalgae Meal as an Alternative Diet
Author
Tovar-Ramírez, Marta Montserrat 1 ; Oviedo-Olvera, Mónica Vanessa 1 ; Nieto-Ramirez, Maria Isabel 1 ; Parra-Pacheco, Benito 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Feregrino-Pérez, Ana Angelica 2 ; Garcia-Trejo, Juan Fernando 2 

 División de Investigación y Posgrado, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Carretera a Chichimequillas Km. 1 s/n Amazcala, El Marques, Querétaro 76265, Mexico; [email protected] (M.M.T.-R.); [email protected] (M.V.O.-O.); [email protected] (M.I.N.-R.); [email protected] (B.P.-P.) 
 Cuerpo Académico de Bioingeniería Básica y Aplicada, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas s/n. Las Campanas, Querétaro 76010, Mexico; [email protected] 
First page
1540
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20762615
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3217685837
Copyright
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.