Black Soldier Fly Larvae for Chicken Feed

Recycling food waste is still fairly limited, especially in low- and middle-income settings, although this is by far the largest fraction of all generated municipal waste. 40% - 60% of landfill is food waste. Black Soldier Fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, is an approach that has obtained much attention in the past decade. 

Black soldier fly, a high lipids containing insect, can be used as a new and viable biomass feed-stock, using organic matters (animal manure, restaurant waste, and fermentation straw) and increasing the overall biodiesel yield. This larvae converts the manure's nutrients into 42% protein and 35% fat feedstuff. This conversion of waste into feedstuff is called bioconversion and, consequently, the larvae can be fed right back to the animals or birds that generated the waste or used as feed for fish or livestock. It can be ground up and fed to earthworms or red worms for a second round or just used as compost. The larva is dry, friable, and odourless. 

Statistically, food waste in the globally, could be significantly reduced and waste reduction of farm animals (chickens and pigs) might even reach 75%. Simply put, manure is rapidly decomposed by the black soldier fly larvae, greatly reducing the amount and odour, along with any potential disease problems. 

This could be a good alternative to high protein animal feed coming from waste fish caught from the sea and crops like soya and corn which take up a lot of farm land.