Use of insect products in pig diets

This review is focusing on effects of inclusion of insect products in pig diets on digestibility, performance, product quality, and health parameters. In 2019 pig feed accounts for 23% of the global feed production. Soybean meal is the most common protein source in pig diets. A shift towards more sustainable feed ingredients can improve the sustainability of entire pig production. Novel protein sources currently evaluated in diets for piglets and growing pigs are insect-based ingredients. Insects are able to convert organic biomass into high-quality protein. Currently the use of insects as protein source in pig diets is not allowed due to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies regulation but it is expected that this will be allowed in the near future. Research efforts on effects of inclusion of insect products on nutrient digestibility, growth performance, product quality and pig health are therefore increasing. Nutrient digestibility of evaluated insect proteins was comparable with traditional protein sources. Nutrient digestibility of insect-based diets as well as effects on growth performance in pigs fed insect-based diets differed between studies. The differences in responses are mainly due to changes in diet ingredients and nutrient composition when insect products are included. Health related parameters were not affected by dietary inclusion of insect products. In general it can be stated that differences in results between studies may be due to different insect species and life stages being used, differences in nutritional value of the insect products, in dietary inclusion levels, in processing techniques applied, effects on palatability of the diet, (weaning) age of the animals involved and research methods applied. Overall, insect products seem to be a good alternative to partly replace traditional protein-rich ingredients in pig diets without adversely affecting growth performance, product quality and health, but more standardised research is required to reduce differences between studies.

Automated summary

Inclusion of insect products in pig diets is not yet allowed due to regulations, but research suggests that they may be a good alternative to traditional protein sources. Differences in study results are mainly due to variations in insect species and life stages, nutritional value of insect products, diet composition, processing techniques, and other factors. Standardized research is needed to reduce discrepancies between studies.