Full-fat field cricket meal (FCP) is an alternative protein ingredient in livestock production; however, the effects of replacing conventional protein sources with FCP in nursery diets have not been determined. In this study, the effects of the partial replacement of either fish meal or soybean meal with FCP on weaning pigs were evaluated, including the analyses of growth performance, nutrient utilization, intestinal morphology, immunity, oxidative stress, and fecal microbial counts. A total of 100 crossbred weaning pigs [(Landrace × Large White) × Duroc] were allotted to one of the following five treatments with five replicates (four pigs/pen) and fed for 28 d postweaning. Treatments were 1) a corn-soybean meal (SBM)-based diet with 5% fish meal (Positive control; PC), 2) a corn-SBM-based diet without fish meal (Negative control; NC), 3) field crickets replacing fishmeal on a total Lys basis (FCP1), 4) field crickets replacing fishmeal on a kg/kg basis (FCP2), and 5) field crickets replacing fish meal and soybean meal (FCP3). The piglets on FCP1 had a higher body weight on days 14 and 28, and an increased average daily gain over the experimental period than NC (P < 0.05); FCP2 and FCP3 were similar to the FCP1 treatment. The incidence of diarrhea was lower under an FCP-supplemented diet than under the NC diet throughout the study (P < 0.05). Pigs fed FCP1 and FCP2 had a higher digestibility of crude protein (P = 0.041), and all FCP groups increased crude fat digestibility (P = 0.024). FCP1 and FCP2 also increased jejunal villus height (P = 0.009), whereas the increase in jejunal villus-to-crypt ratios (P = 0.019) was greater in pigs fed the FCP2 diet than those fed the NC diet. Furthermore, FCP2 supplementation increased serum immunoglobulin A levels on days 14 and 28, including reduced serum interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha levels (P < 0.05). Pigs fed an FCP2 diet had reduced malondialdehyde levels than those fed a PC diet, while pigs fed an FCP2 diet had higher superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase levels, and more fecal Lactobacillus spp. than those fed an NC diet (P < 0.05). These results support the use of FCP as an alternative protein ingredient with beneficial effects on growth performance, intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal microbiota. In particular, FCP can be used as a partial substitute for fish meal and soybean meal without detrimental effects on weaning pigs.
Keywords: full-fat cricket; growth performance; gut integrity; high protein ingredient; redox status; weaning pig.
Crickets are a promising, widely available protein source for pigs; however, their practical utilization requires detailed analyses of their effects in comparison with those of traditional protein sources. In this study, we demonstrate that the partial replacement of either fish meal or soybean meal with full-fat field cricket meal promotes growth and reduces the rate of diarrhea in weaning pigs. These beneficial effects may be mediated by the effects of FCP on intestinal morphology, serum immunoglobulin A concentration, proinflammatory and antioxidant enzyme activity, and fecal microbiota. Our findings provide a basis for the expanded use of field cricket powder as a replacement for fish meal and soybean meal in livestock feed.
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science.