Insects in animal feed: a promising avenue for more sustainable animal husbandry

One of the questions often raised in public debate is how the planet will meet the protein needs of the world's population in 2050. Against a backdrop of demographic growth (over 9 billion people by then), major urbanization and changing diets, global demand for animal products is set to rise by 60-70% between now and 2050. Currently, demand for chicken meat, which has the lowest carbon and water footprint compared to other animal protein sources, is the fastest-growing. Adapted to all climates, not subject to any religious ban, and above all with low production and sales costs, it is a product of choice for producers and consumers alike, and is set to continue growing in the decades to come.

Today, however, meat production is facing numerous criticisms and new challenges. In the coming years, the transition of livestock farming to agro-ecology will notably require a reduction in competition between man and animal for land use, as well as an increase in the protein autonomy of livestock farms, in particular by reducing dependence on imported soya, which is partly associated with deforestation. Its cultivation is responsible for 12% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, making it the second biggest cause of climate change after fossil fuel combustion, and it affects the livelihoods of 25% of the world's population. Thus, the problem lies not in the animals themselves, nor in the consumption of animal products, but rather in the way animals are or are not integrated into agro-ecosystems. It is therefore important to improve certain farming practices (animal feed, for example) in order to move towards greater social, economic and environmental sustainability. With the reduction in the amount of land allocated to agriculture, the question of how to use land to feed livestock is now widely and legitimately raised, especially when these animals are major consumers of protein, and mainly soybean meal.

In addition, the quality and quantity of feedstuffs such as corn and soybean meal, major ingredients in poultry feed, may be influenced by global warming, as well as by rising feed and energy costs, thus influencing global food security. Indeed, competition for the same resources from feed and fuel can exacerbate the situation; this is even more true in a context of war, as in 2022 between Russia and Ukraine.

This article highlights the interest of using a particular insect (the black soldier fly) as a potential alternative to soy in broiler poultry farming. After a presentation of the role of soy in animal feed and of the black soldier fly, the following two sections focus respectively on the nutritional benefits of this insect in terms of nutritional value (protein and lipid content), and its impact on the zootechnical performance of poultry. Another...