Effects Of Replacing Dietary Fishmeal With Maggots On Performance And Nutrient Retention Of Laying Hens

Laying hens (53 weeks old) were fed a basal diet with 9% fish meal and diets in which housefly maggots (Musca domestica, Linn) replaced 33.3, 66.7 and 100% of the fish meal in the basal diet during a 6-week trial period. Average daily feed intake were 125.1, 115.1, 109.1 and 105.7g respectively (P0.05). There was also no significant effects of the treatments on protein or fat retention by laying hens. It is concluded that housefly maggots could replace fish meal (9%) in layer's diet without detrimental effects on their performance. Maggots is a cheap alternative to fishmeal in laying hen diets, the cost of its production being only 15% of the equivalent weight of fishmeal.