Possibility of Using House Cricket (Acheta domesticus) or Mulberry Silkworm (Bombyx mori) Pupae Meal to Replace Poultry Meal in Canine Diets Based on Health and Nutrient Digestibility

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Pet foods are one of the fastest-growing products owing to demands by pet owners. In general, soybean meal, meat, meat by-products, meat, and bone meal and fishmeal have usually served as protein sources in canine diets, but they are not sustainable and fluctuate in chemical composition. Recently, several companies around the world have invested in producing edible insects as an alternative protein source for humans, livestock, aquatic animals, and dogs; however, regulation is unique for each country, which has limited the growth of insect industries. Based on several study reports, dogs have been shown to consume diets containing insects without adverse effects on health or nutrient digestibility. House cricket (Acheta domesticus: AD) and mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori: BM) pupae are other potential insects able to be good protein sources that could replace poultry meal and fishmeal. Healthy adult mixed-breed dogs were divided into five groups fed diets with 10% AD, 20% AD, 7% BM, or 14% BM for 29 days. During the experiments, dogs were evaluated in terms of blood parameters and nutrient digestibility. The study shown AD and BM, at levels of up to 20% and 14%, respectively, can be a substitute for poultry meal in canine diets without any adverse effects on health and nutrient digestibility. ABSTRACT: There has been increasing interest in using insects as sustainable protein sources for humans and animals. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the possibility of substituting poultry meal with house cricket (Acheta domesticus: AD) or mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori: BM) pupae. Fifty healthy adult mixed-breed dogs were selected and divided into five experimental groups, which were fed, in amounts based on daily energy requirement, with a control diet, a diet with 10% AD, with 20% AD, with 7% BM, or with 14% BM. Days 0–22 and 23–28 of the experiment served as the adaptation and collection phases, respectively. Haematology and blood chemistry were collected at days 0, 14, and 28, and body weight, body condition score, feed intake, faecal output, faecal score, faecal moisture, and apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter and nutrients were measured during the collection phase. The results from this study suggested that AD and BM can replace poultry meal without any adverse consequences on all measured parameters (p > 0.05). Therefore, AD at 20% or BM at 14% can be used in canine diet formulations. However, long-term feeding trials should be conducted and should focus on clinical signs relating to hypersensitivity disorders.