Nutritive value of house fly (Musca domestica) larvae as a feed supplement for turkey poults

An experiment was conducted to determine the value of housefly (Musca domestica) larvae as a nutrient source for poultry. Forty-eight turkey poults were allocated to 12 brooding cages and fed either dehydrated M. domestica larvae (MDL) or a commercial diet (CD). Gross energy, apparent metabolizable energy and crude protein of the MDL were 23.1, 17.9 MJ/kg, and 593 g/kg, respectively and in CD 17.0, 13.2 MJ/kg and 318 g/kg, respectively (P < 0.05). Coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility were high in the MDL. Dehydrated fly larva compares favorably to Soya bean meal as a protein supplement. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.