Effects of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae fat inclusion on growth performance, blood traits, carcass characteristics morphometric and histological parameters of finisher broiler chickens

A trial was performed to evaluate the effects of a partial or a total replacement of soybean oil (SO) with Hermetia illucens larvae fat (HILF) in broilers chicken's finisher diets. At 21 days of age, a total of 120 male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments (5 replicates and 8 birds/pen). To a basal control diet (C), either the 50% or the 100% replacement of SO with HILF was applied (HI50 and HI100 group, respectively). Growth performance was evaluated throughout the trial. At day 48, 15 birds (3 birds/pen) per group were slaughtered at a commercial abattoir. Carcass yield and proportion of carcass cuts were recorded. Blood samples were taken from each slaughtered chicken for haematochemical indices. Morphometric analyses were performed on duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Samples of liver, spleen, thymus, bursa of Fabricius, kidney and heart were submitted to histological investigations. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Growth performance, carcass traits, blood parameters and gut morphometric indexes were not influenced by the dietary inclusion of HILF. HILF inclusion level did not significantly affect histopathological findings.Results suggest that the replacement of SO with HILF in broiler chickens diets have no adverse effects on growth performance and blood traits and do not significantly impair gut morphology and histological features.