Nutritional properties of Hermetia illucens L., a new feed product for young pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus Erxleben)

In connection with the proven possibility of industrial breeding of black lion larvae Hermetia illucens L. on various organic substrates, it is of interest to study their nutritional properties and the possibility of effective use as a new feed product for the Russian livestock in the diets of different farm animal species. This paper is the first report in Russia about H. illucens larvae effects on growth of young pigs. The aim of the work was to assess the biochemical composition and nutritional value of H. illucens larvae depending on the composition of the substrate on which they were grown and to estimate efficiency of these larvae as a substitution for dietary fish meal in pigs' ( Sus scrofa domesticus Erxleben) feed. The fly H. illucens larvae were reared in the laboratory of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS on different substrates, i.e. distillers dried grains with solubles, feed wheat grain, wheat bran, crushed corn, mix of fruit and vegetable waste with grain bran, mixture of bird manure with litter...