The 22nd conference of the DLG Forum Top Pig Farms took place in Kassel on February 28th and March 1st, 2023 and offered the participants an overview of the latest trends and developments in pig farming. One of the exciting working groups was working group 7, which dealt with the topic "Animal feed made from larvae instead of soy: How should innovative protein feed be evaluated?".
Our founders and managing directors Thomas Kuehn and Wolfgang Westermeier were invited as input speakers to share their experiences and insights with the participants. Under the moderation of Dr. Detlef Kampf, DLG eV, discussed intensively the use of insect protein in animal feed.
Conclusion:
Insect protein is on the rise and is considered one of the most sustainable and efficient sources of protein in the world. Compared to traditional protein sources such as soy, insect protein has a higher conversion efficiency and can be produced from leftover food such as fruit, vegetables or mill by-products. Breeding insects also has the advantage of using fewer resources such as water and land and causing less environmental impact.
Another important benefit of insect protein is the fact that it has a healthy and balanced nutrient composition that is ideal for animal nutrition. Due to its high-quality amino acid profile, insect protein particularly supports species-appropriate animal nutrition.
Overall, the use of insect protein in livestock feed is a promising trend that not only ensures more sustainable production, but also healthier and more balanced animal nutrition.