Plonquet D, Fondevila G, Fondevila M
Departamento de Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, M. Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain.
Departamento de Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, M. Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain.
Animal. 2025 Jan;19(1):101384. doi: 10.1016/j.animal.2024.101384. Epub 2024 Nov 26.
Feeding conditions of mealworm (T. molitor) larvae for livestock nutrition need to be optimised. The effects of the cereal offered as main nutrient source on growth performance and composition of T. molitor larvae were evaluated. In Experiment 1 (unbalanced diets), substrates included 80% of wheat (W1), barley (B1) or maize (M1) and 20% wheat straw. In Experiment 2 (balanced diets), substrates were formulated using wheat (W2), barley (B2) or maize (M2) as the main ingredient, combined with wheat bran or straw to contain similar N, starch and NDF contents (19.5, 520, and 270 g/kg DM, respectively). A control substrate based solely on wheat bran was also included in each experiment (C1 and C2). Each treatment was replicated four times in trays containing 24 g of substrate and 60 larvae, and the experimental period lasted for 28 (Experiment 1) or 35 (Experiment 2) days. Larval weight and residual substrate were monitored weekly, and larval chemical composition was analysed at the end of each experiment. In Experiment 1, feed intake was greatest for B1 and W1, intermediate for C1 and lowest for M1 (P < 0.001). However, larval growth was greater for C1 than for B1 and W1, with the lowest rates observed for M1 (P < 0.001). Consequently, the feed to gain (F:G) ratio was lowest for C1 and highest for M1 (P < 0.001). Mortality was also greatest for M1 (P < 0.001). In Experiment 2, feed intake (P < 0.001) and larval growth (P < 0.01) decreased in M2 compared to B2 and W2, which in turn showed similar growth performance to C2 (P < 0.001). Larval composition followed a similar trend in both experiments, with the highest N content observed in larvae fed C1 and C2 (P < 0.001), while DM and ether extract contents were higher in larvae reared on barley (P < 0.001). In summary, maize-based substrates may compromise feed intake and growth performance of T. molitor larvae compared to those based on wheat or barley, regardless of the nutrient content of the diet. Apparently, larval performance does not respond to the substrate starch content but it might be influenced by the endosperm physical structure. Additionally, a lower N content in the substrate could impair growth performance, an effect that is alleviated once larval protein requirements are achieved. Larval composition was affected by the main dietary ingredient, with substrates based on wheat bran increasing the N content of larvae, whereas those based on barley resulted in increased DM and Ether extract contents.
黄粉虫（黄粉虫）幼虫作为家畜营养的饲料条件需要优化。评估了作为主要营养来源的谷物对黄粉虫幼虫生长性能和组成的影响。在实验1（不平衡日粮）中，底物包括80%的小麦（W1）、大麦（B1）或玉米（M1）和20%的小麦秸秆。在实验2（平衡日粮）中，底物以小麦（W2）、大麦（B2）或玉米（M2）为主要成分配制，与麦麸或秸秆混合，使其含有相似的氮、淀粉和中性洗涤纤维含量（分别为19.5、520和270 g/kg干物质）。每个实验中还包括一个仅基于麦麸的对照底物（C1和C2）。每个处理在装有24 g底物和60只幼虫的托盘中重复四次，实验期持续28天（实验1）或35天（实验2）。每周监测幼虫体重和剩余底物，并在每个实验结束时分析幼虫的化学成分。在实验1中，B1和W1的采食量最大，C1居中，M1最低（P < 0.001）。然而，C1的幼虫生长大于B1和W1，M1的生长速率最低（P < 0.001）。因此，C1的料重比最低，M1最高（P < 0.001）。M1的死亡率也最高（P < 0.001）。在实验2中，与B2和W2相比，M2的采食量（P < 0.001）和幼虫生长（P < 0.01）下降，而B2和W2的生长性能与C2相似（P < 0.001）。两个实验中幼虫组成呈现相似趋势，饲喂C1和C2的幼虫氮含量最高（P < 0.001），而在大麦上饲养的幼虫干物质和乙醚提取物含量较高（P < 0.001）。总之，与基于小麦或大麦的底物相比，基于玉米的底物可能会损害黄粉虫幼虫的采食量和生长性能，无论日粮的营养成分如何。显然，幼虫性能对底物淀粉含量没有反应，但可能受胚乳物理结构的影响。此外，底物中较低的氮含量可能会损害生长性能，一旦满足幼虫蛋白质需求，这种影响就会减轻。幼虫组成受主要日粮成分的影响，基于麦麸的底物会增加幼虫的氮含量，而基于大麦的底物会导致干物质和乙醚提取物含量增加。
