Silkworm pupae, Silkworm meal, Silk worm meal

Description:  

Generally silkworms are raised in a confined environment, where feed is harvested and brought to them to be fed, therefore after the silkworm die the spent pupae are easily collected and can be used as a supplemental protein source. Large quantities of spent silkworm pupae are produced as a byproduct of the silk industry. Silkworm meal has been used in feeding monogastric and ruminant species for many years in Asian countries. The meal contains the exoskelaton and the contents of the body cavity. Chitin, which is a component of the exoskelation, contains approximately 25 % of the CP content, which is not composed of amino acids and is not digestible. The amount of silkworm meal that can be used is dependent upon the species it is being fed too. The fat component of the silkworm meal seems to be the component that limits its useage, when the fat content is reduced higher amounts can be fed. High level of silkworm meal can be fed to carp and layer chickens, but only a portion of the fish meal can be replaced in diets for broiler chick diets without depressing performance.

Source:  

Spent silkworm pupae.

Processing: 

Should be ground to assure more uniform mixing in rations.

Feeding Experiments: 

There is a difference between how poultry and fish respond to silkworm pupae meal. When silkworm meal replaced a portion or all of the fish meal in carp and other fish diets similar performance (growth and feed conversion) was observed (BB)(CAB 780644683)(Jeyachandran, 1976); (BC)(CAB 771453586)(Erencin, 1976); (BO)(CAB 991400028)(Borthakur, 1998); (BP)(CAB N254876)(Nandeesha, 1990); (BR)(CAB N239834)(Nandeesha, 1989); (BT)(CAB 941408103)(Mahata, 1994); (BU)(CAB 931460063)(Hossain, 1992); (BV)(CAB 931464921)(Shyama, 1993); (BW)(CAB 931466344)(Hossain, 1993); (BY)(CAB 981403138)(Rahman, 1996); (BZ5)(CAB N507910)(Narahari, 1990). Compared to plant protein sources it was superior when fed to carp (BZ3)(CAB 961401903)(Swamy, 1994). Shrimp growth trials showed that digestive efficiency was reduced when silkworm meal was used to replace fish meal (BE)(CAB 791489485)(Sumitra-Vijayaraghavan, 1978). Digestibility of the CP in silkworm meal was found to be similar to fish meal (91.58 vs 89.68) (BN)(CAB 991400028)(Borthakur, 1998) when fed to fish (batrachus). Performance in growing chicks was depressed when silkworm meal was used to replace a high proportion of fish meal (BD)(CAB 811421587)(Joshi, 1979); (BF)(CAB 831450338)(Fagoonee, 1983); (BZ2)(CAB 961407294)(Deshpande, 1996), but egg production was not found to be affected (BG)(CAB 811421982)(Joshi, 1980); (BH)(CAB 811422596)(Virk, 1980). Supplementation of silkworm meal with minerals was found to improve performance in poultry (BS)(CAB 941406554)(Reddy, 1991). Similar performance was observed when silkworm meal was used to replace meat and bone meal in broiler diets (BM)(CAB N000475)(Tas, 1983). Replacement of fish meal CP up to 50 % with silkworm meal in broilers didn. t affect performance (BK)(CAB CAB N565740)(Fagoonee, 1983); (BZ4)(CAB 961402164)(Purushothaman, 1995). The fat component of silkworm meal seems to have some negative effects on animals reproductive performance (BL)(CAB E369720)(Park, 1985). Deoiling of silkworm meal was shown to improved chick performance (BX)(CAB 981407533)(Venkatchalam, 1997).

Feeding Guidelines:  

Deoiled silkworm meal performance was found to be superior to the full oil containing meal. Silkworm meal should be limited in poultry diets, but can be used to completely replace fish meal in carp diets. Research with other species is limited, so caution should be taken when incorporating silkworm meal into formulations for other animals.

Nutrient Characteristics: