INSECTS ARE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF PROTEIN SUPPLY OF MIXED FODDER’S

In the materials of this article, the problems of protein deficiency in the production of compound feed are considered, and ways to solve them due to the use of alternative, non-traditional protein components - insects that have high nutritional properties, provide rapid accumulation of biomass, serve as sources of biologically active substances and are safe from from the point of view of issues of veterinary medicine and ecology. It is predicted that up to 15% of additional protein will be provided by insects in 2050, and their market will be estimated at $1.2 billion. The characteristics of the black lion fly (Hermetia illucens) and its larvae, peculiarities of cultivation and chemical composition are presented. Larvae mostly consist of protein and fat, and also contain 7.0% chitin, 5.0% calcium, 1.5% phosphorus and iron. The amino acid composition of the protein demonstrates the presence of a wide range of amino acids and a relatively high content of lysine, which makes it possible to use them in the development of new components of complete feed for farm animals and poultry. A method of introducing dry larvae of the black lion fly into the compound feed through granulated and extruded mixtures with a mass fraction of larvae from 10 to 50% has been developed. The structural scheme of the introduction of larvae in the production of compound feed is presented, which includes cleaning of grain raw materials, grinding, sieving, mixing the passing fraction of the sieve with dry larvae in a certain ratio, and subsequent granulation and extrusion of the mixture. The results of the study of the physical properties of the samples of the molded mixtures are given, and it is established that the sample with 15% dry larvae has the best physical properties. With an increase in the content of dry larvae in the mixture by more than 25%, the samples at the exit were characterized by significant fragility and fatness and required an additional drying operation, which would significantly increase the cost of the finished compound feed. Calculated recipes of complete ration compound feed for adult laying hens using larvae from 15 to 20%, which made it possible to exclude expensive feeds of animal origin (fish meal, meat and bone meal) and partially replace soybean meal (up to 12%), which significantly reduced the cost of finished compound feed.