Larval Protein Quality of Six Species of Lepidoptera (Saturniidae, Sphingidae, Noctuidae)

Abstract

Six lepidopteran species representing three families were evaluated for their potential use as protein supplements for poultry. Proximate and amino acid analyses were conducted on larval powders of each species. Larvae ranged from 49.4 to 58.1 % crude protein on a dry-weight basis. Amino acid analysis indicated deficiencies in arginine, methionine, cysteine, and possibly lysine, when larvae are used in chick rations. In a chickfeeding trial with three of the species, however, these deficiencies were not substantiated: the average weight gained by chicks fed the lepidopteran-supplemented diet did not differ significantly from that of chicks fed a conventional corn/soybean control diet.