Effects of Feeding Housefly (Musca domestica) Larvae on the Butchery Skills and Meat Sensory Characteristics of Local Chickens in Niger

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Local chicken is the most accessible animal protein source for poor people. Feeding chicken with insect larvae is sustainable, as insects are a natural feed for poultry and its production process is remarkably simple. It is also known that a novel feed can alter meat cutout’s yield and sensory characteristics. So, we investigate the effects of housefly larvae on local chicken carcass cutout’s yield and the meat sensory characteristics. We found that housefly larvae, in fresh and dried form, can substitute fishmeal up to 50% in chicken feed without an effect on growth performance. Housefly larvae did not deteriorate meat aptitude for three days’ storage at 4 °C and cooking. It was found that housefly larvae can improve juiciness and meat coloration, such as yellowness and redness. So, we conclude that housefly can be used by producers for sustainable and safe chicken meat production. However, particular consideration should be given to the increase in liver and spleen percentages of chickens fed dried larvae diets. ABSTRACT: The purpose of this work was to study the effects of substitution of fishmeal by housefly larvae at different rates and different physical states in the diet of local chickens. Five diets consisted of LFD, 25DL, 50DL, 25FL and 50FL, respectively, larval-free, 25%-dried-larvae, 50%-dried-larvae, 25%-fresh-larvae and 50%-fresh-larvae diet, in which 0, 25 and 50% of fishmeal was replaced by dried and fresh larvae, was formulated. A total of 165 local chickens of three weeks old, divided into 15 boxes in batches of 11 animals were raised. The experiment consists of three replications of five treatments. At 14 weeks of age, sixty chickens were slaughtered. Butchery skills and sensory characteristics were evaluated. Thus, a small variation of the ultimate pH from 5.63 to 5.55 between the different types of meat, and a carcass yield around 66%, was recorded. Any effects of substitution rate and physical state of housefly larvae on growth performance was not observed. Feet and proventriculus percentages increased in chickens fed 25% substitution. Liver and spleen percentage, and redder breast meat, increased in chicken fed dried larvae. Yellowness of the breast, thigh-and-drumstick meat and juiciness increased with 50% substitution. There is need of an investigation for liver and spleen enlargement and housefly larvae containing pigments. Thus, housefly larvae up to 50% substitution can be a suitable alternative to fishmeal in local chicken diets.