Development of Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) on Poultry Litter-Based Diets: Effect on Chemical Composition of Larvae.

In order to investigate a low-cost and sustainable food source, the present study evaluated the use of poultry litter for rearing Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). The experiment was performed with five diets containing increasing levels of poultry litter (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) replacing the control diet and five replicates with 50 larvae per sample unit. Larval growth and development were evaluated and the chemical compositions of diet and T. molitor larvae were determined. Larval development and reproduction efficiency of T. molitor were similar in all treatments. The sole use of poultry litter to feed T. molitor reduced the crude protein of flour by only 8%. Including 50% or more poultry litter in the standard diet is the best-suited formulation for larvae production and incorporation of minerals in the larvae. Mealworm can be grown successfully on diets composed by poultry litter, the diet did not affect survival, growth, and development; however, studies spanning several insect generations should be performed to determine the effects of diet composition on adult fecundity. The knowledge acquired using poultry litter to feed T. molitor will be useful to carry out new research, in addition to evidencing the possibility of low-cost mass rearing of these larvae.

Cottonseed Oil in Diets for Broilers in the Pre-Starter and Starter Phases.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different levels of crude cottonseed oil in isoenergetic diets, with or without supplementation of ferrous sulfate, on performance variables, relative weight of organs, and blood parameters of broilers, and on the economic viability of diets in the periods from 1 to 7 and 1 to 21 days of age. A total of 600 male birds of the Ross line were distributed in a completely randomized design in a (4×2) factorial arrangement with eight treatments (0, 2, 4, and 6% cottonseed oil with and without ferrous sulfate), and five replicates. The following variables were studied: feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion, weight of organs, blood parameters, and yield of carcass and cuts at 21 days. No effects of the levels of cottonseed oil were found on the performance of animals aged 1 to 7 days, or on the relative weights of the organs. In this same period, the weight gain, and the relative weights of heart, liver, and intestine of the animals that received ferrous sulfate were decreased, and feed conversion was worsened. In the period from 1 to 21 days, weight gain increased linearly with the increase in the levels of cottonseed oil. Blood parameters were not influenced by the diets. Crude cottonseed oil can be utilized in diets for broilers in the periods from 1 to 7 and 1 to 21 days of age at up to 6% of inclusion, and supplementation with ferrous sulfate is unnecessary if the differences in metabolization of the cottonseed oil are considered, with and without, it during the diet formulation process.

Avaliação nutricional do farelo de algodão de alta energia no desempenho produtivo e características de carcaças de frangos de corte / Nutritional evaluation of cottonseed meal in high energy performance and carcass characteristics of broilers

O trabalho teve como objetivos determinar a composição química e energética do farelo de algodão produzido pela BUNGE Alimentos S/A, marca registrada como Farelo de algodão de alta energia (FAAE®) e avaliar a inclusão deste no desempenho de frangos de corte. Determinou-se a composição química, aminoacídica e energética (utilizando-se o método de coleta total de excretas, com duas coletas ao dia). Foi utilizado óxido férrico para marcar o início e o final da coleta. O nível de inclusão do alimento de teste na ração referência foi de 20 por cento. O desempenho foi avaliado com a inclusão do farelo de algodão no período de nove a 42 dias. Durante os primeiros nove dias, os pintinhos receberam ração pré-inicial comum a todas as aves. A partir do nono dia, as aves foram submetidas à dieta experimental com níveis de 3, 6, 9 e 12 por cento de inclusão do farelo de algodão. O farelo de algodão apresentou 95,91 por cento de matéria seca, 9,8 por cento de gordura, 27 por cento de proteína bruta, 4,6 por cento de cinza, 4.867kcal kg-1 de energia bruta, 1,32 por cento de lisina e 0,35 por cento de metionina. O valor de energia metabolizável aparente corrigida para nitrogênio determinado foi 1.188 kcal kg-1. Não se observou efeito no desempenho e no rendimento de carcaça dos frangos aos 42 dias de idade.

The objective of the research was to determine the chemical and energetic composition of cottonseed meal produced by BUNGE Foods Company, trademark as high energy cottonseed meal (FAAE ®) and to evaluate its inclusion in the performance of broilers. The chemical, energetic and aminoacidic composition was determined using the total excretion gathering method, with two gathers a day. It was used ferric oxide to mark the beginning and the end of the gathering. The level of inclusion of the food testing in the reference diet was 20 percent. The performance was evaluated with the inclusion of cottonseed meal in a period of 9 to 42 days. During the first nine days the poultries received pre-initial feed that were common to all birds. From the ninth day, the birds received an experimental diet with substitution levels of 3 percent, 6 percent, 9 percent and 12 percent inclusion of cottonseed meal . The cottonseed meal presented 95.91 percent of dry matter, 9.8 percent of fat, 27 percent of crude protein, 4.6 percent of ash, 4.867 kcal kg-1 of crude energy, 1.32 percent of lysine and 0.35 percent of metionine. The determined value of apparent metabolizable energy corrected to nitrogen was 1.188 kcal kg-1. It was not observed effect in the performance and carcass return of the poultry at 42 days of age.