Impact of mediterranean fruit fly rearing residues and biological supplementation on performance of gimmizah chicks

For a transformation of the global food system towards sustainability, circular approaches and nutrient-rich side-stream valorization are mandatory. Moreover, affordable and sustainable alternatives to corn, soy, and fish meal are needed in poultry production. Recently, insects and their derived products have gained research interest as alternative sources of conventional feed ingredients in poultry nutrition. The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly; Ceratitis capitata) production industry using sterile insect technology amasses thousands tonnes of rearing residues annually. This study is the first to shed light on the potential use of medfly rearing residues (MFRR), as a partial replacement for corn and soybean in Gimmizah chicks' diets, with or without biological supplementation (BS). It evaluates their effects on growth, carcass characteristics, blood indices, serum biochemical and histological changes in internal organs. A 7-week trial was conducted using 240, 15-day-old Gimmizah chicks, which were randomly divided into four groups (6 replicates, 10 birds each): the first group (T1) was fed a corn-soybean control diet, the 2nd group (T2) fed the control diet enriched with 1 ml BS/kg diet. The 3rdgroup (T3) received the control diet after replacing 10 % of corn and soybean with MFRR meal, while the 4th group (T4) fed the 10 % replacement by MFRR combined with 1 ml of BS. All groups received isoenergetic and isoprotienic diets with free access to feed and water for 49 days trial period. Compared to the control, both BS and MFRR inclusion with or without BS (T4 and T3, respectively) positively improved body weight, feed consumption, feed conversion, performance index and carcass yield. Blood analysis showed increased red blood cells, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, total protein, albumin, globulins, triglycerides, cholesterol, thyroxine hormone, uric acid and creatinine, with no adverse histological alteration in the bursa or intestine. In conclusion, the study suggests that MFRR can effectively replace 10 % of traditional feed ingredients, with or without BS, enhancing chicks' performance and health. Further future studies are recommended for broader application of MFRR in poultry nutrition.