Assessment of biochemical status of blood in highly productive cows when feeding black soldier larvae flour

The adequacy of nutrition plays a leading role in creating favorable conditions for realization of genetic potential of animals. Protein is one of the critical elements in providing animals with adequate nutrition, ensuring growth, development and necessary level of productivity. If there is a significant lack of protein in the feeding of productive cattle, one of the sources of its replenishment in the diet can be an insectoprotein obtained from the larvae of the black soldier fly. A scientific and production experiment to study the effect of feeding flour from black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) on the productivity of dairy cows during the milking period was conducted in 2024 in Arkhangelsk region. The duration of the experimental period was 90 days. The object of the research was Holstein dairy cows during the milking period. Taking into account the age, stage of lactation, daily milk yield, mass fraction of fat and mass fraction of protein in milk, two groups of animals (control and experimental) of 12 heads each were formed. Black soldier fly larval cake at a dose of 350 g can replace 550 g of rapeseed meal, without having a negative effect on the biochemical parameters of the blood of highly productive cows during the milking period. At the same time, an increase in the oxygen capacity of the blood by 40.8 mg% is observed in the blood of cows in the experimental group; stabilization of the total blood protein level to 8.13 g%, which indicates its stabilization in the cows’ body; improvement of calcium-phosphorus metabolism by 0.08, which affects the vital activity of normal rumen microflora and carbohydrate absorption.