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Why do we use black soldier fly (BSF)
The nutritional content of BSF larvae is excellent. Full-grown larvae can contain more than <strong>45 % protein</strong>, roughly <strong>30 % fat</strong> (bio-oils), around <strong>7 % chitin</strong> and around <strong>4 % calcium</strong> in the dry matter. BSF based feed also includes antibacterial agents. Live larvae are completely organic food and an excellent source of protein for chickens, for example.
01 · Growth
Growth and feed conversion
BSF larvae have the best feed conversion ratio among insects and the growth rate of the larvae is high. BSF larvae eat carbohydrates and microbes and produce new protein that was not originally in the feed.
Black soldier fly larvae grow in dense masses and it’s commonly reported that black soldier fly larvae can consume roughly 2 to 5 times their body weight in a day, making them very effective at bioconversion of organic waste.
02 · Feed
Sustainable and cost-effective feed
BSF based feed is a sustainable, locally grown, environment-friendly and cost-effective option for soy and fish based feed. Automation of the control of rearing and breeding process reduces labor costs and enables low production costs as well as low energy consumption.
Keep exploring
Related topics and pages
- What is black soldier fly (BSF)? — the short-answer introduction to larvae and feed-source checks
- Replacing soy with BSF larvae: the nutritional value (2/5) — the series post with published data on the nutritional content of BSFL
- Learn hub — the courses and libraries behind this article
Read next
- Replacing soy with BSF larvae: the nutritional value (2/5) — the series post with published data on the nutritional content of BSFL
- What is black soldier fly (BSF)? — the short-answer introduction to larvae and feed-source checks
- Replacing soy with BSF larvae: sustainability (4/5) — the series post on the environmental side of switching from soy
- Environmental impact of BSF farming — the environmental case for BSF feed, including the effect of one Manna module per year
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