Graded Incorporation of Defatted Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Diet Improves Growth Performance and Nutrient Retention
- PMID: 31018487
- PMCID: PMC6523711
- DOI: 10.3390/ani9040187
Graded Incorporation of Defatted Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Diet Improves Growth Performance and Nutrient Retention
Abstract
Insects are emerging as a sustainable alternative to fishmeal and fish oil in aquafeeds. This study assessed the effect of graded incorporation levels of defatted yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) protein meal on juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) growth performance, body composition, and apparent nutrient digestibility. The trial comprised five dietary treatments: control diet with 25% fishmeal, and four experimental diets with yellow mealworm protein meal at 5%, 7.5%, 15%, or 25%, which corresponded to a fishmeal replacement of 20%, 30%, 60%, or 100%, respectively. After 90 days, the graded incorporation of insect protein meal led to a significant stepwise increase in final body weight, and a significant improvement of specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, and protein efficiency ratio compared to the control treatment. Regardless of the incorporation level, the insect protein meal had no effects on fish whole-body composition and apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, protein, fat, phosphorus, and energy. Protein, phosphorus, and energy retention significantly increased in fish fed the diets with an insect protein meal. In conclusion, the yellow mealworm protein meal could effectively replace 100% of fishmeal in the diet of juvenile rainbow trout with positive effects on its overall zootechnical performance.
Keywords: digestibility; fishmeal; growth performance; insect meal; mealworm; rainbow trout.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Similar articles
-
Partially Defatted Tenebrio molitor Larva Meal in Diets for Grow-Out Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum): Effects on Growth Performance, Diet Digestibility and Metabolic Responses.Animals (Basel). 2020 Jan 31;10(2):229. doi: 10.3390/ani10020229. Animals (Basel). 2020. PMID: 32023930 Free PMC article.
-
Effects of High Dietary Inclusion of Defatted Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Meal as a Fish Meal Substitute on Growth, Histological Traits, and Health Performances of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).Aquac Nutr. 2025 Jan 29;2025:5568058. doi: 10.1155/anu/5568058. eCollection 2025. Aquac Nutr. 2025. PMID: 39949362 Free PMC article.
-
Effects of full replacement of dietary fishmeal with insect meal from Tenebrio molitor on rainbow trout gut and skin microbiota.J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2021 Feb 3;12(1):30. doi: 10.1186/s40104-021-00551-9. J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2021. PMID: 33536078 Free PMC article.
-
Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor Larvae) as an Alternative Protein Source for Monogastric Animal: A Review.Animals (Basel). 2020 Nov 8;10(11):2068. doi: 10.3390/ani10112068. Animals (Basel). 2020. PMID: 33171639 Free PMC article. Review.
-
The use of yellow mealworm (T. molitor) as alternative source of protein in poultry diets: a review.Trop Anim Health Prod. 2020 Jan;52(1):7-16. doi: 10.1007/s11250-019-02033-7. Epub 2019 Aug 7. Trop Anim Health Prod. 2020. PMID: 31392553 Review.
Cited by
-
The Feasibility of Using Yellow Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor): Towards a Sustainable Aquafeed Industry.Animals (Basel). 2021 Mar 13;11(3):811. doi: 10.3390/ani11030811. Animals (Basel). 2021. PMID: 33805823 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Alternative protein sources in aquafeed: Current scenario and future perspectives.Vet Anim Sci. 2024 Jul 25;25:100381. doi: 10.1016/j.vas.2024.100381. eCollection 2024 Sep. Vet Anim Sci. 2024. PMID: 39280774 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Dietary Tenebrio molitor Larvae Meal Inclusion Exerts Tissue-Specific Effects on Cellular, Metabolic, and Antioxidant Status in European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata).Aquac Nutr. 2022 Oct 20;2022:9858983. doi: 10.1155/2022/9858983. eCollection 2022. Aquac Nutr. 2022. PMID: 36860434 Free PMC article.
-
Apparent Digestibility Coefficients of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens), Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), and Blue Bottle Fly (Calliphora vicina) Insects for Juvenile African Catfish Hybrids (Clarias gariepinus × Heterobranchus longifilis).Aquac Nutr. 2022 Oct 18;2022:4717014. doi: 10.1155/2022/4717014. eCollection 2022. Aquac Nutr. 2022. PMID: 36860442 Free PMC article.
-
Partially Defatted Tenebrio molitor Larva Meal in Diets for Grow-Out Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum): Effects on Growth Performance, Diet Digestibility and Metabolic Responses.Animals (Basel). 2020 Jan 31;10(2):229. doi: 10.3390/ani10020229. Animals (Basel). 2020. PMID: 32023930 Free PMC article.
References
-
- FAO . The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2018—Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations; Rome, Italy: 2018. p. 227.
-
- Henry M., Gasco L., Piccolo G., Fountoulaki E. Review on the use of insects in the diet of farmed fish: Past and future. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 2015;203:1–22. doi: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2015.03.001. - DOI
-
- Slater M., D‘Abramo L., Engle C.R. Aquaculture Research Priorities for the Next Decade: A Global Perspective. J. World Aquacult. Soc. 2018;49:3–6. doi: 10.1111/jwas.12503. - DOI
-
- Gatlin D., Barrows F., Brown P., Dabrowski K., Gaylord T., Hardy R., Herman E., Hu G., Krogdahl A., Nelson R., et al. Expanding the utilization of sustainable plant products in aquafeeds: A review. Aquac. Res. 2007;38:551–579. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2109.2007.01704.x. - DOI
-
- Olsen R.L., Hasan M.R. A limited supply of fishmeal: Impact on future increases in global aquaculture production. Trends Food Sci. Technol. 2012;27:120–128. doi: 10.1016/j.tifs.2012.06.003. - DOI
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources