Insect Protein for Chickens

[U_Stormcrow]

Appears Tyson thinks they can make the economics work at scale...

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/20/business/tyson-insect-ingredients/index.html

For those following as the lab science becomes the practical.

I would expect that the home feed market will eventually follow suit. (Yes, I'm aware of Grubblies - their inclusion rates are quite low). I for one, hope it catches on and fills the specialty niche currently filled by "vegan", a terrible way to try to raise chickens. It may also help to produce higher crude protein, better AA balanced "organic" feeds, for those interested in that market segment.

 

[Morrigan]

I love this idea.

 

[Folly's place]

Hope it works out, although I'm glad to not be involved in the process personally.
Mary

 

[Perris]

It's a step in the right direction but it's a shame they're going to raise the insects on animal waste (according to the CNN article).

 

[Penpal]

Perris, what's wrong with using animal manure? If you did this at home you would use animal manure. It is the natural food of a soldier fly larvae.

 

[Perris]

animal waste does not just refer to manure. It can mean feathers, fallen stock, culls, feet, heads, intestines, etc., any bits for which there is no better use. BSFL can be fed all sorts, and normally get e.g. veg peelings and other food waste, which does not represent quite such a tight circular economy as animal waste given as feed to insects that will be given as feed to animals.

 

[Brooks_]

I had seen that Tyson was getting into it, but did not click as I assumed they were looking for human use (likely still the end goal). I take no issue with them working on it for animal feed.

 

[Apis mellifera]

This is just a paid ad for Tyson. Insect farming has been around a long time. The big hurdles are pests, diseases, bacteria, and protein in / protein out ratio making it difficult to be profitable. Purina markets an overpriced BSFL feed and refuses to disclose how much of the protein is BSFL, probably because its so expensive to add a significant amount to make a difference. I dont expect it to become a part of animal feeds anytime soon and I wouldn't feed it to my dogs or cat.

 

[21hens-incharge]

It's still good to know.
If folks don't want to feed it they now are informed and can look at ingredient lists for its possible presence. I know I won't feed it to my mammals.

 

[Folly's place]

Feed ingredients are listed by weight on the bags, and those insects are very very low on the list. One or two per ton? It's definitely about marketing!
Mary