Special Edition: Alternative Feed Proteins
New roles for creepy-crawlies
Black Solider Fly (BSF) larvae have also become a go-to insect for producers looking to bring insect-generated protein to feeds.
The companies working with the insect include the Belgium-headquartered Entobel, which is looking at aquafeeds and poultry and the French insect feed company nextProtein.
In March 2017, South African company AgriProtein announced it is trying to make insect protein a mainstream feed ingredient in North America. The company is working to build multiple BSF production farms in the US and Canada.
In the US, researchers from Kentucky State University and the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service have been evaluating the potential of BSF in shrimp diets.
Several feed ingredient companies and researchers focused on work with shrimp production have turned to mealworms. A team in Brazil has explored the potential for the insects to provide an alternative to fishmeal in farm-raised shrimp. In France, Ynsect has been running feeding trials with its mealworm-based protein meal in shrimp feeds. However, the company also is looking at the feed protein’s potential for other species.