Combined Dietary Supplementation of Tenebrio molitor Larvae and Chitosan in Growing Pigs: A Pilot Study.

Simple Summary: Currently, the worldwide livestock sector is facing the problem of producing sufficient feed resources. Alternative sources of proteinaceous ingredients are needed to feed the ever-increasing number of farm animals. Consumers are also aware of the negative environmental impacts of soybean and fishmeal production. For these reasons, novel feeding ingredients causing low environmental burden should be developed and used in the farm animal industries. In the present study, a combined dietary supplementation with Tenebrio molitor larvae and chitosan in pig diets was carried out. Forty-eight weaned pigs (34 days of life; mixed sex) were assigned into four treatment groups: a control group (Group A), a group supplemented with 10% T. molitor larvae (Group B), a group supplemented with 0.05% chitosan (Group C), and a group supplemented with both 10% T. molitor larvae and 0.05% chitosan (Group D). The experimental period lasted 42 days (from 34 to 76 days of life). The results showed that T. molitor larvae supplementation improved the overall performance of the pigs, modified the fecal microbiota as well as the red blood cell content, and enhanced specific quality parameters of the meat such as phenolic content, oxidative stability, fatty acid profile, and color. Although chitosan supplementation did not affect the overall performance, it affected the blood lymphocyte count and the gut microbiota, while it also improved some meat quality parameters. Moreover, the combined supplementation of T. molitor and chitosan had positive effects on the zootechnical parameters, the fecal microbial populations, and the color and fatty acid profile of the meat. Nowadays, the global animal industry faces considerable challenges in securing sufficient feed resources. Responding to consumer demands for reduced use of antibiotics in animal nutrition, better animal welfare status, and reduced impact on the environment, there is an increased urgency to develop innovative functional feeds with a reduced environmental footprint and the ability to improve meat quality and safety. In an effort to explore innovative feed ingredients for growing pig diets, the combined dietary supplementation of Tenebrio molitor larvae and chitosan was investigated. An experimental trial was performed with 48 weaned pigs (34 days of life; mixed sex) that were randomly assigned to four treatment groups (with six males and six females each): Group A (control), Group B (supplemented with T. molitor larvae at 10%), Group C (supplemented with chitosan at 0.05%), and Group D (supplemented with both ingredients at 10% and 0.05%, respectively). On the 42nd day of the experimental trial, samples of blood, feces, and carcass parts were taken for analysis. The results indicated that the insect larvae meal significantly improved (p < 0.05) overall performance, increased (p < 0.05) blood red blood cell content, increased meat phenolic content (p < 0.05), improved meat oxidative stability (p < 0.05), and affected meat fatty acid profile (p < 0.05). On the other hand, chitosan had no significant effect on overall performance (p > 0.05), but it significantly increased blood lymphocyte content (p < 0.05), affected the fecal microbiota (p < 0.05), improved meat oxidative stability (p < 0.05), increased meat phenolic content (p < 0.05), and affected meat fatty acid composition (p < 0.05) and (p < 0.05) meat color. Finally, the combined use of both T. molitor and chitosan significantly affected some important zootechnical parameters (p < 0.05), fecal microbial populations (p < 0.05), meat color (p < 0.05), and fatty acid profile (p < 0.05). Further investigation into the potential interaction between insect larvae meals and chitosan in pig diets is advised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]