Markets, money and maggots

This opinion paper focuses on the AgriProtein experience of the mass rearing of insects for feed with specific reference to the development of a mass rearing facility aimed at the use of organic waste for the rearing of larvae destined for the animal feed industry. The paper discusses the market related issues of producing such a product as well as consumer acceptance, finances, scale and the future prospects for such mass rearing systems. Proving the business necessitates proving the market and product; this paper summarises poultry studies done with the protein source MagMeal T, and shows that the larvae and pre-pupae of dipteran species are a viable protein source and that the use of such protein has no negative effect and often a positive effect on production parameters or carcass characteristics of broiler chickens and that no anti-nutritional or toxic effects were noted for any of the larvae and pre-pupae meals tested.