| dc.description.abstract | Increase in world population has catapulted demand for animal proteins beyond supply and organic waste generation. Conventional livestock production is hindered by land sizes, urbanization and limited and unsustainable supply of fishmeal. Consequently, protein insecurity and poor environmental sanitation are major issues of concern. However black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) bioconversion technology that uses organic waste to produce a nutritive biomass rich in proteins, offers a potential solution to the twin problems. Utilization is however hindered by limited information on BSF production strategies. This study used an experimental research design to evaluate the potential of fanning BSFL biomass as an alternative protein source for fish feed. The study's objectives were to; evaluate the performance of different organic waste substrates as attractants on BSF oviposition activity, test and identify suitable organics for sustainable production, optimize the production of BSFL using feeding rates, regimes and substrate combination; and compare the performance of BSFL (BM) and fishmeal (FM) incorporated feeds on tilapia growth. Performance was measured by number of eggs and prepupa. larvae growth rate, substrate reduction, nutrient content, fish growth rate and effect on water quality. Data was analyzed by t-tests and two way ANOVA tests, LSD and Tukey HSD in R statistical package. Fermented mashed maize grain and fruit and vegetable waste were best attractants for the Bondo black soldier fly (BSF) strain (monthly prepupa collection 2.933kg±0.9 and 2.2kg±0.87 respectively) (p < 0.05); while fresh cow manure and frass were the best oviposition attractants in a captive colony (mean egg collection 5.1 kg±2.1 and 2.5kg±2.9 respectively (p < 0.05). Proximate analysis of wild collected prepupa recorded 40% crude protein and 33% crude fat. Substrate testing reported that food remains (FR) produced significantly higher prepupa total mean yield and average individual weight of 196.9 ± 4.0g and 0.101± 0.002g, respectively followed by brewers waste (BW) (154.8 ± 6.5g, 0.078 ± 0.02g), faecal sludge, FS (138.7 ± 5.0g, 0.070 ± 0.001g) and banana peels(108.9 ± 5.6g, 0.055 ± 0.002g) respectively (p < 0.05). Crude protein content was highest in prepupa fed on FS and BW at 45.4% ± 0.1 and 43.0% ± 1.0, respectively (p < 0.05) while the ether extract was more variable ranging from 18.1 ± 0.3% for FS feel prepupa to 36% for FR fed prepupa. Watermelon, banana peels and pineapples yields, average prepupa weights and CP levels were 2.9:!::0. I kg, 0.1 0Jg, 40.2%; 2.8±0. l kg, 0.121g, 35.4% and 2.2±0.09kg, 0.101 g, 40.0% respectively. Feeding rate 200mg/l/d emerged as the best for yield and average prepupa weights (FR- 255.6g, 0.128g:J: 0.008g; BW-208.4g; 0.104 ± 0.01 g and FS 175.8g, 0.089 ± 0.004g (p < 0.05) while feeding rate 150mg/l/d had the highest substrate reduction rate of 84(Vii (p < 0.0:=; ). Daily feeding (DF) and after four days feeding (A.FD) regimes recorded the highest waste reductions (84.6%±0.2; 83.5%±0.3 respectively), whereas the biomass was insignificant across the different regimes (p < 0.05). Mixing faecal sludge separately with FR, BW and BP respectively at a 30:70 and 50:50 ratio yielded the highest yield (299±6.5 kg, 299:!:4.4kg-FR; 270±4.Skg, 261±3.4kg¬BW and 253±2.7kg, 238±5.0kg-BP respectively. FM and BM feeds recorded no significant differences on final fish average weights (20.52g±0.2 and l 8.27g±5 respectively); and on water quality indicators (p < 0.US). The Bonclo BSFL strain can be reared from the wild on identified substrates and production optimized on a feeding strategy of feed rate, regime and substrate combination as an alternative protein source. | en_US |