Low-Fat Tenebrio molitor Meal as a Component in the Broiler Diet: Growth Performance and Carcass Composition.

Simple Summary: Tenebrio molitor, or yellow mealworm, has demonstrated strong potential as a sustainable protein source in the diet of poultry. This study aims to investigate the effect of different doses of low-fat Tenebrio molitor meal included in the diet of Ross 308 broilers on their growth performance and carcass composition. We found that the inclusion of low-fat Tenebrio molitor meal at an amount of 10% in the diet affected negatively the body weight gain (BWG) and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the birds. The doses of 7.5% and 10% of the insect meal were associated with lower carcass weight, a lower percentage of the breast, and a higher percentage of the back in the broilers. Tenebrio molitor is considered a sustainable protein source for diets in poultry. It has been investigated in regard to the performance, health status, and product quality in different poultry species. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of low-fat Tenebrio molitor meal (LFTM) included in the broilers' diet on the growth performance and carcass composition of the birds. The trial was conducted at the Institute of Animal Science-Kostinbrod, Bulgaria. A total of 120 male one-day-old Ross 308 broilers were allocated to 5 groups. After an adaptation period of 14 days, the birds were fed a basal diet (C) and diets including LFTM in amounts of 2.5% (T2.5), 5% (T5), 7.5% (T7.5), and 10% (T10). The growth performance of the birds was measured during the trial. At 35 days of age, 8 birds per group were slaughtered, and their carcass quality was evaluated. We found a linear response of BWG and FCR towards the inclusion of Tenebrio molitor meal (TM) in the diet. For the whole period (14–35 d), the BWG decreased (p = 0.0002), while the values of FCR increased (p = 0.0001) with the increase in the levels of the insect meal. The doses of 7.5% and 10% of the insect meal were associated with lower carcass weight and also decreased the yield of the breast. The results of the study indicated that the incorporation of LFTM, especially in amounts of 7.5–10%, could not be appropriate for broilers due to adverse effects on the growth performance and carcass composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]