Structural and Functional State of the Stomach and Intestines of Arctic Foxes Fed with Black Soldier Fly Larvae

In fur farming, including fur fox breeding, there is an acute problem of finding potential sources of nutrients, primarily proteins, which are implemented in the form of developing feed additives with new components. The search for protein sources for fur animals is carried out in different directions. We have chosen an unconventional one, which is represented by insect culture. Among the many insects, the black soldier fly has attracted more attention, for it actively grows and allows to get biomass in a short time. The research and production experiment on studying the effect of a feed additive based on black soldier fly larvae on fur productivity and the structural and functional state of the digestive organs was conducted on commercial young Arctic foxes. The animals were kept in the same type - in individual cages in sheds. The duration of using black soldier fly larvae was 30 days - until technological slaughter for fur. The foxes were dissected and their internal organs were examined according to the method of A.V. Zharov. Studies were conducted on the structural and functional state of the stomach and small intestine of commercial young Arctic foxes of the II and III experimental groups when using a feed additive based on black soldier fly larvae in dried and native forms in their feeding in comparison with control analogues. Distinctive features in the micromorphology of the stomach and small intestine of young Arctic foxes included the integrity of the anatomical structures, moderate plethora of the stromal vessels of the organs, well-defined structures of the fundal pits and crypt villi, activation of gland functions, an abundance of mucus, a moderate amount of exfoliated epithelial cells on the mucous membrane of the organs, with a greater degree of manifestation in the stomach and intestines of Arctic foxes that received the native form, compared to their counterparts that received the dried form of the insect culture.