Effects of black soldier fly larvae meal on production performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity and serum biochemical indices of squabs

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of dietary black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) on production performance, meat quality (including sensory quality, muscle fiber histological characteristics, chemical composition, and antioxidant capacity of muscle), and serum biochemical indices of 28-day-old squabs, to provide a good reference for the potential use of BSFLM as a functional feed supplement in pigeon production. A total of 192 1-day-old squabs and 96 pairs of 7-month-old breeding pigeons with the same egg production were stochastically divided into 4 groups with 6 paired replicates. Each pair of breeding pigeon with two squabs. The pigeons were fed the diets supplemented with 0 (control group), 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% BSFLM, respectively. The experiment lasted for 28 days. Dietary BSFLM supplementation increased the growth performance, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), serum levels of glutathione peroxidase (GHS-PX), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), and glucose (GLU), and reduced the shear force, serum contents of triglyceride, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase. Moreover, it improved the meat color, muscle fiber histological characteristics, and fatty acids profile. However, no significant effects were observed on the slaughter performance, pH value, the water-loss, chemical composition, and amino acids profile. In conclusion, dietary BSFLM may improve the growth performance, meat quality, muscle antioxidant capacity, and health status of squabs. The best effects were observed for the 1.0% BSFLM diet.