Growth performance, meat quality, cecal microbiota and metabolomics profile of turkeys fed diets containing black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) meal

Abstract A trial was conceived to evaluate the effects of the dietary inclusion of defatted BSF larvae meal on growth performance, breast meat quality traits, cecal microbiota composition and metabolomics profile of turkeys. A total of 1512 female turkeys (B.U.T. 6) were divided into two groups (9 r...

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Main Authors: Marco Zampiga, Alessandra De Cesare, Luca Laghi, Francesca Soglia, Valentina Indio, Christophe Trespeuch, Elisa Benini, Jonathan Dayan, Massimiliano Petracci, Federico Sirri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05624-7
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author Marco Zampiga
Alessandra De Cesare
Luca Laghi
Francesca Soglia
Valentina Indio
Christophe Trespeuch
Elisa Benini
Jonathan Dayan
Massimiliano Petracci
Federico Sirri
author_facet Marco Zampiga
Alessandra De Cesare
Luca Laghi
Francesca Soglia
Valentina Indio
Christophe Trespeuch
Elisa Benini
Jonathan Dayan
Massimiliano Petracci
Federico Sirri
author_sort Marco Zampiga
collection DOAJ
description Abstract A trial was conceived to evaluate the effects of the dietary inclusion of defatted BSF larvae meal on growth performance, breast meat quality traits, cecal microbiota composition and metabolomics profile of turkeys. A total of 1512 female turkeys (B.U.T. 6) were divided into two groups (9 replicate pens) fed either a basal diet (CON group) or CON diet with 5% BSF meal from 65 days to slaughtering (105 days; INS group). The administration of BSF meal improved final body weight (10.17 vs. 10.06 kg/bird, respectively for INS and CON; P = 0.04) as well as daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio in the rearing cycle (96.22 vs. 95.23 g/bird/day and 2.127 vs. 2.141, respectively; P = 0.03). Breast meat quality traits and cecal microbiota were only slightly affected by the treatment. The cecal concentration of tyramine was significantly lower in INS turkeys, which showed higher levels of glucose and malonate (P = 0.03). The use of BSF meal tended (0.05 < P < 0.10) to increase the cecal content of isoleucine, betaine and butyrate, and to reduce the amount of 3-phenylpropionate. Overall, the dietary inclusion of 5% BSF meal from 65 to 105 days improved the growth performances of female turkeys mainly through the modulation of the gut metabolomics profile.
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spelling doaj-art-d3e65aab949441748ce3e3b3c2aa55682025-08-20T03:45:19ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-05624-7Growth performance, meat quality, cecal microbiota and metabolomics profile of turkeys fed diets containing black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) mealMarco Zampiga0Alessandra De Cesare1Luca Laghi2Francesca Soglia3Valentina Indio4Christophe Trespeuch5Elisa Benini6Jonathan Dayan7Massimiliano Petracci8Federico Sirri9Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of BolognaDepartment of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of BolognaDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of BolognaDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of BolognaDepartment of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of BolognaMutatecDepartment of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of BolognaDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of BolognaDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of BolognaDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of BolognaAbstract A trial was conceived to evaluate the effects of the dietary inclusion of defatted BSF larvae meal on growth performance, breast meat quality traits, cecal microbiota composition and metabolomics profile of turkeys. A total of 1512 female turkeys (B.U.T. 6) were divided into two groups (9 replicate pens) fed either a basal diet (CON group) or CON diet with 5% BSF meal from 65 days to slaughtering (105 days; INS group). The administration of BSF meal improved final body weight (10.17 vs. 10.06 kg/bird, respectively for INS and CON; P = 0.04) as well as daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio in the rearing cycle (96.22 vs. 95.23 g/bird/day and 2.127 vs. 2.141, respectively; P = 0.03). Breast meat quality traits and cecal microbiota were only slightly affected by the treatment. The cecal concentration of tyramine was significantly lower in INS turkeys, which showed higher levels of glucose and malonate (P = 0.03). The use of BSF meal tended (0.05 < P < 0.10) to increase the cecal content of isoleucine, betaine and butyrate, and to reduce the amount of 3-phenylpropionate. Overall, the dietary inclusion of 5% BSF meal from 65 to 105 days improved the growth performances of female turkeys mainly through the modulation of the gut metabolomics profile.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05624-7PoultryNutritionInsect mealProductivityMeat qualityGastrointestinal tract
spellingShingle Marco Zampiga
Alessandra De Cesare
Luca Laghi
Francesca Soglia
Valentina Indio
Christophe Trespeuch
Elisa Benini
Jonathan Dayan
Massimiliano Petracci
Federico Sirri
Growth performance, meat quality, cecal microbiota and metabolomics profile of turkeys fed diets containing black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) meal
Scientific Reports
Poultry
Nutrition
Insect meal
Productivity
Meat quality
Gastrointestinal tract
title Growth performance, meat quality, cecal microbiota and metabolomics profile of turkeys fed diets containing black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) meal
title_full Growth performance, meat quality, cecal microbiota and metabolomics profile of turkeys fed diets containing black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) meal
title_fullStr Growth performance, meat quality, cecal microbiota and metabolomics profile of turkeys fed diets containing black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) meal
title_full_unstemmed Growth performance, meat quality, cecal microbiota and metabolomics profile of turkeys fed diets containing black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) meal
title_short Growth performance, meat quality, cecal microbiota and metabolomics profile of turkeys fed diets containing black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) meal
title_sort growth performance meat quality cecal microbiota and metabolomics profile of turkeys fed diets containing black soldier fly hermetia illucens meal
topic Poultry
Nutrition
Insect meal
Productivity
Meat quality
Gastrointestinal tract
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05624-7
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