Black soldier fly larvae: a one health approach to investigate gut, and organ health and meat quality response in slow-growing chickens.

Background: The inclusion of sustainable protein sources in poultry feed has become essential for improving animal welfare in livestock production. Black soldier fly larvae are a promising solution due to their high protein content and sustainable production. However, most research has focused on fast-growing poultry breeds, while the effects on native breeds, such as the Bianca di Saluzzo, are less explored.

Breaking down barriers: live or dehydrated dietary whole black soldier fly larvae supplementation in slow growing chickens preserve meat quality and sensory traits.

This study investigated the effects of supplementing the diet of a slow-growing autochthonous chicken breed with dehydrated or live Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) on meat quality and sensory attributes. The research, conducted at the University of Turin, Italy, involved 144 male birds distributed in three experimental groups. The control group (C) was fed a basal diet in which soybean meal was completely substituted with alternative ingredients.

Effect of Dietary Organic Acids and Botanicals on Metabolic Status and Milk Parameters in Mid-Late Lactating Goats.

The microencapsulated mixture of organic acids and pure botanicals (OA/PB) has never been evaluated in goats. The aim of this study was to extend the analysis to mid-late lactating dairy goats, evaluating the effects of OA/PB supplementation on the metabolic status, milk bacteriological and composition characteristics, and milk yield. Eighty mid-late lactating Saanen goats were randomly assigned to two groups: one group was fed the basal total balanced ration (TMR) (CRT; = 40) and the other was fed a diet that was TMR supplemented with 10 g/head of OA/PB (TRT; = 40) for 54 days during the summer period.

Black soldier fly larvae used for environmental enrichment purposes: Can they affect the growth, slaughter performance, and blood chemistry of medium-growing chickens?

Introduction: This research has been aimed at evaluating the effects of live black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) () on the growth, slaughtering performance, and blood parameters of medium-growing chickens.

Methods: A total of 240, 28-day-old, Label Rouge Naked Neck chickens were allotted to four experimental groups, according to the gender (males-females) and to the absence (control group, C) or presence (larvae group, L) of a dietary supplementation with 10% live BSFL, on the basis of the expected average daily feed intake (ADFI) (6 replicates/diet, 10 chickens/replicate). The birds were weighed weekly, and the feed consumption was recorded to calculate the average live weight, feed conversion ratio (FCR), average daily gain (ADG), and the ADFI.

Carcass Yields and Meat Composition of Male and Female Italian Slow-Growing Chicken Breeds: and .

The slaughter performance and meat quality of two native Italian chicken breeds, (BP, = 64) and (BS, = 64), were investigated. Two-way ANOVA, considering breed, sex, and their interaction, was used to compare the properties of birds slaughtered at 5, 6, 7, and 8 months of age. Subsequently, data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and the Duncan test to evaluate the differences between slaughter ages.