Comparative yield of maggots and nutrient composition of maggot meal produced from three different substrates

Abstract

As part of the effort in developing alternative protein ingredient to reduce the costs of feed associated with livestock production, maggotries were constructed to compare the yield and chemical composition of maggot meal produced from three substrates – poultry dropping, pig, and cattle dung. 150 kg each of poultry droppings, pig, and cattle dung were assigned into three treatments and further divided into 3 replicates of 50 kg each. Three liters of fresh cattle blood (attractant) was added per replicate without stirring. The housefly (Musca domestica) shed its eggs on the blood in the course of feeding which later developed into maggot. The collection of data started 5 days after the emergence of maggots on the substrates. 4.91 kg of maggot was obtained from poultry dropping, 3.53 kg from pig dung, and 0.95 kg from cattle dung. The chemical composition showed that maggot meal produced from poultry dropping substrate is higher in crude protein and crude fat (42.53% and 7.38%) than that of pig dung (40.78% and 6.08%) and cattle dung (41.69% and 6.29%) respectively. The amino acids composition of maggot meal produced from poultry dropping (lysine 0.89%, methionine 0.67%, and tryptophan 0.74%) were also comparably higher than that from pig dung (lysine 0.57%, methionine 0.38% and tryptophan 0.51%) and cattle dung (lysine 0.76%, methionine 0.51 kg and tryptophan 0.68%). However, the microbial load and mineral composition were observed to be higher in maggot meal produced from pig dung than those obtained from poultry dropping and cattle dung. Poultry dropping is of higher yield in maggot meal production, crude protein, crude fat, amino acid composition, and lower microbial load than pig and cattle dung. Although the maggot meals obtained from the three substrates can be used as an alternative protein source, poultry dropping has a higher yield and nutrient profile.