Use of Periplaneta americana as a Soybean Meal Substitute: A Step towards Sustainable Transformative Poultry Feeds.

Simple Summary: The global supply of the primary component of poultry feed, i.e., soybean meal, has dwindled due to an imbalance between demand and supply. Hence, there is an urgent need for exploring some cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative protein sources to ensure sustainable poultry production. The outcomes of the present study exhibited that replacing 12% of soybean meal with either Periplaneta americana or Hermetia illucens improves the growth, blood hematology, gut morphometry, and meat quality of broilers. Consequently, these insects can serve as a viable alternative to traditional protein sources in poultry nutrition, offering a promising solution to meet the rising demand for animal protein, while mitigating the environmental impacts associated with conventional feed ingredients. Insects are becoming increasingly popular as a sustainable and nutritious alternative protein source in poultry feeds, due to their high protein content, low environmental impact, and efficient feed conversion rates. Using insect-based feeds can reduce the need for traditional protein sources like soybean meal (SBM), which often contribute to environmental issues such as deforestation and high water consumption. The current experiments were devised to assess the impacts of the partial replacement of SBM with the American cockroach Periplaneta americana and black soldier fly Hermetia illucens on the performances, hematology, gut morphometry, and meat quality of male broilers (Ross 308). A total of 350, 1-day-old chicks weighing 40.05 ± 0.27 g were divided into 7 dietary treatments (5 pens/treatment and 10 birds/pen) at random, i.e., a 4, 8, or 12% SMB replacement with P. americana and H. illucens. Soybean meal was used as a basal diet and taken as a control. The results indicated that broilers fed on 12% P. americana or H. illucens showed significant improvements (p < 0.05) in feed conversion ratio, live weight, and daily weight gain. Hematological traits significantly improved (p < 0.05). A gut histology showed increased villus height, villus width, crypt depth, and villus height/crypt depth ratios, indicating improved nutrient absorption. Broiler meat fed on 12% P. americana meal had significantly higher redness and yellowness (p < 0.05). Substituting soybean meal with up to 12% P. americana or H. illucens meal in poultry feed can enhance the broilers' growth performance, hematology, gut morphometry, and meat quality. Hence, these findings imply that P. americana or H. illucens meal are viable and constructive alternative protein sources in poultry nutrition, offering a sustainable approach to meet the increasing demand for animal protein across the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]