Effets de l’incorporation de larves de Tenebrio molitor dans l’aliment des porcelets

Toutes les filières animales cherchent à diminuer l’importation de matières premières protéiques. Les farines d’insectes appartiennent à la catégorie des sources de protéines concentrées, mais leurs caractéristiques nutritionnelles sont peu documentées et les essais d’incorporation dans les aliments porcs ont fait l’objet de peu de publications. Cet essai propose donc de faire le point des possibilités d’incorporation de concentrés de protéines séchées et dégraissées issus de larves de Tenebrio molitor dans les aliments de post-sevrage. Cette farine d’insectes se caractérise par une teneur en protéines de 75 %, une teneur en lysine de 41 g/kg et une teneur en matières grasses de 10 % sur produit brut. Le profil en acides aminés est intéressant en thréonine, tryptophane et valine, mais déficitaire en méthionine et cystine.

Effects of Tenebrio molitor larva incorporation in the piglet diet

This trial was conducted to assess effects of feeding dried defatted mealworm meal (Tenebrio molitor larva) on growth performance, the blood profile and faecal dry matter content of weaning pigs. A total of 260 weaning pigs (28 days of age, mean body weight of 9.03 kg) were assigned to one of four treatments based on sex and body weight in 10 replicates, with 6-7 pigs per pen in a randomized complete block design. All pigs were given ad libitum access to feed and water. Two-phase feeding programs (phase 1 from day 0-14, phase 2 from day 14-42) were used. Supplementation of dried defatted mealworm meal (75 % protein, 10 % fat) was 0, 3, 6 or 9 % in the phase 1 diet and 0, 4, 8 or 12 % in the phase 2 diet at the expense of soy products. Average daily gain, average daily feed intake and blood profile did not differ significantly whatever the diet percentage of mealworm meal. During phase 2, the feed conversion ratio of the 2 diets that contained the highest percentage of mealworm meal were significantly worse than that of the control diet. The faecal dry matter content was significantly better with the highest mealworm meal compared to the control. Overall, this trial indicated that dried defatted mealworm could be used as a concentrate protein ingredient for weaning pigs up to 3-4 % without affecting the performances.