Dietary inclusion of Tenebrio molitor L. frass affects nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation activities, blood metabolites, and milk performance in goats

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jafr.2025.101727
• Publication Date: 2025-02-11T00:30:40Z
• Authors: Hanan Hassanien; Magdy Abou El-Fadel; Mohamed El-Badawy; Youssef Phillip; Ahmed Hussein; Amany Khayyal; Mahmoud Elmenniawy; Heba A. El-Sanafawy; Mohamed A. Radwan; Germán Buendía Ro...; Maximilian Lackner; Abdelfattah Z.M. ...
• Keywords: Milk production; Nutrition. Foods and food supply; Digestibility; Agriculture (General); Blood parameters; TX341-641; Mealworm frass; S1-972

This research aimed to evaluate the inclusion of mealworm frass (MF, from Tenebrio molitor L.) in the rations of dairy goats. The hypothesis was that adding MF may improve the utilization of protein. Twenty-four Damascus goats (body weight ∼ 48.2 ± 0.9 kg) of the third and fourth parity were divided into three groups (n = 8). Goats in the control group (MF0) were fed Egyptian clover ad libitum plus a concentrate feed mixture to cover 55 % of their nutritional requirements (basal diet). Goats in the second (MF1) and third (MF3) groups received the basal diet supplemented with 1 % and 3 % MF, respectively. The experimental period lasted 120 days, (30 days prepartum and 90 days postpartum). Digestibility, performance, blood metabolites, and milk yield and quality were assessed. The inclusion of MF in rations increased (P < 0.05) digestibility coefficients for DM and CP (dry matter and crude protein). Concentration of ruminal ammonia and volatile fatty acids were higher (P < 0.05) for goats fed on a diet containing 3 % MF. Likewise, the estimated blood metabolites (total proteins, albumin, globulin, urea, creatinine, ALT, and AST) were significantly increased (P < 0.05) for the MF3 goats. Actual milk, fat-corrected milk (4 %), and energy-corrected milk yields were higher (P < 0.05) for MF1 and MF3 goats. The best feed conversion was observed with the MF3 group compared to the control (0.98 vs. 1.17 kg DMI/kg milk). The economic efficiency of milk improved (P < 0.05) for MF1 and MF3 goats by 22, and 50 %, respectively. In conclusion, incorporating mealworm frass up to 3 % in the concentrate feed mixture enhanced goat growth and feed utilization rate as well as milk production.