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RCT·poultry science, animal nutrition, veterinary science, food science, sustainable agriculture·PMC10177170

Potential of Full-Fat Silkworm-Based Diets for Laying Quails: Performance and Egg Physical Quality

Animals : an Open Access Journal from MDPI · 10 authors, 3 centres

AI SUMMARY

FIDELITY 100%

POPULATION240 female Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica), 31 days old at start, housed in 48 cages (5 quails/cage, 12 cages/treatment)

INTERVENTIONDiets containing 4%, 8%, or 12% full-fat silkworm chrysalis meal (SWM4, SWM8, SWM12)

COMPARISONConventional corn and soybean-based control diet (C) with 0% SWM

This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.

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TL;DR

This study tested the inclusion of full-fat silkworm chrysalis meal (SWM) at 4%, 8%, and 12% in laying quail diets. SWM at 8% and 12% significantly improved egg production but worsened feed conversion ratio (FCR), likely due to anti-nutritional factors like chitin and 1-deoxynojirimycin. Overall, SWM up to 12% is a promising sustainable feed ingredient for laying quails, though inclusion above 8% requires caution regarding feed efficiency.

Full summary

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**Background:** Insects are a sustainable alternative feed ingredient for poultry, potentially reducing feed-food competition. Silkworm (Bombyx mori) chrysalis is a by-product of the silk industry, rich in high-quality protein (50–70%) and lipids containing n-3 fatty acids. However, it also contains anti-nutritional factors including chitin and 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ), an α-glucosidase inhibitor. Research on SWM in layer diets is limited, and the optimal inclusion level for laying quails had not been established.

**Methods:** A total of 240 31-day-old female Japanese quails were randomly assigned to four dietary groups (12 replicates/treatment; 5 quails/replicate). Quails were fed a standard commercial pullet diet until 63 days of age, then received one of four isonitrogenous and isoenergy diets: a control corn-soybean diet (C) or diets containing 4%, 8%, or 12% full-fat SWM (SWM4, SWM8, SWM12). Experimental diets were provided until 119 days of age. Performance data (egg production, egg weight, feed intake, FCR) were recorded weekly. Egg physical traits (surface area, edible portion, shell weight and thickness, albumen height, Haugh unit, yolk color, albumen pH) were measured at week 1 (63 days, n=84 eggs) and week 8 (119 days, n=336 eggs). The SWM contained 378 g/kg crude protein, 292 g/kg ether extract, 14.6 g/kg chitin, and 0.76 μg/g 1-DNJ. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA with diet as fixed effect.

**Key Results:** Overall egg production (weeks 1–8) was significantly higher in SWM12 (87.0%) compared to C (84.1%) (p < 0.01), with SWM8 (86.8%) and SWM4 (86.3%) intermediate. Overall egg weight did not differ significantly (p = 0.0587), averaging 13.5–13.9 g across groups. FCR (weeks 1–8) was significantly worse for SWM12 (3.24) and SWM8 (3.13) compared to C (2.74) (p < 0.001), with SWM4 intermediate (3.00). Egg shape index was significantly lower (more elongated) in SWM groups (75.8–76.3%) vs. C (77.2%) (p < 0.001). At week 8, edible portion was higher in SWM12 (88.7%) and SWM8 (88.4%) vs. C (87.6%) (p < 0.001). Shell weight was lower in SWM12 (1.52 g) vs. C (1.68 g) (p < 0.001), and shell percentage was lower in SWM12 (11.3%) and SWM8 (11.6%) vs. C (12.4%) (p < 0.001). Albumen pH was slightly higher in SWM12 (9.13) vs. SWM8 (9.07) and C (9.07) (p < 0.05), but within normal range (8.00–9.2). Haugh unit values (94.0–94.9) did not differ and corresponded to AA grade. Yolk color FAN at week 8 was lower in SWM8 (4.62) vs. C (5.01) and SWM12 (4.99) (p < 0.001).

**Clinical Implications:** Full-fat SWM up to 12% can be used in laying quail diets, improving egg production without major negative effects on egg physical quality. The worsened FCR at 8% and 12% inclusion is attributed to anti-nutritional factors (chitin and 1-DNJ) that may impair nutrient digestibility. The reduced shell weight and percentage in SWM-fed groups may relate to phytic acid from plant ingredients and chitin-derived chitosan reducing calcium bioavailability. These findings support SWM as a sustainable alternative feed ingredient, but inclusion above 8% requires attention to feed efficiency. Further research on sensory traits and nutritional quality (particularly omega-3 fatty acid enrichment) is needed to assess commercial potential.

PICO

PPOPULATION

240 female Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica), 31 days old at start, housed in 48 cages (5 quails/cage, 12 cages/treatment)

IINTERVENTION

Diets containing 4%, 8%, or 12% full-fat silkworm chrysalis meal (SWM4, SWM8, SWM12)

OOUTCOME

Egg production (%), egg weight (g), feed conversion ratio (FCR), egg shape index, egg physical quality traits (edible portion, shell weight, albumen pH, Haugh unit, yolk color FAN)

STUDY TYPE

RCT

SPECIALTY

poultry science

SUMMARISED BY

AI pipeline

FIDELITY CHECK

100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10177170

Potential of Full-Fat Silkworm-Based Diets for Laying Quails: Performance and Egg Physical Quality

Animals : an Open Access Journal from MDPI

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ABSTRACT

Abstract Simple Summary Insects can represent a sustainable and alternative feed ingredient to conventional feedstuffs, thanks to a rich nutritional profile, and possibly helping to reduce the feed-food competition. Among various insect species, the mulberry silkworm is of great interest. Silkworm chrysalis is a silk industry by-product, and it is a rich source of high-quality protein and healthy oil. At present, research is required to understand its potential in different food-producing animal species, optimum inclusion levels, and possible side effects. The present research contributes to provide a better understanding of the potential of silkworm chrysalis as a feedstuff for laying quails. The results of the present study demonstrated that the silkworm chrysalis meal could be used in laying quail feed formulation up to 12% inclusion, providing optimal performance and egg physical quality. Abstract The present research was conducted to determine the optimal inclusion level of full-fat silkworm chrysalis meal (SWM) into laying quails’ diets, focusing on performance traits and egg physical quality. A total of 240 31-day-old female Japanese quails were randomly assigned to four dietary groups (12 replicates/treatment; 5 quails/replicate); quails were initially fed a standard commercial diet for pullets until 63 days of age. When oviposition started, the experimental groups received the following diets: a conventional corn and soybean-based diet (control diet—C) and three other diets, including 4%, 8%, or 12% of full-fat SWM (SWM4, SWM8, SWM12, respectively). Experimental diets were provided until quails reached 119 days of age. Birds displayed satisfactory productive performance throughout the trial. SWM12 and SWM8 had higher ( p < 0.001) egg production but also a higher feed conversion ratio compared to C. At the end of the trial, the eggs edible portion increased, and shell weight decreased with increasing the SWM dietary inclusion level ( p < 0.001). At the same time, SWM12 displayed an increase in albumen pH ( p < 0.05), even though in the normal range for quail egg. Overall, full-fat SWM (up to 12%) can be considered a promising feed ingredient for laying quails, although higher inclusion levels (>8%) require special attention because SWM also contains anti-nutritional factors. Keywords: Bombyx mori , Coturnix japonica , insect, sustainability, feed, egg production, poultry, egg quality

CITATION EXPORT

Yazavinder Singh, Marco Cullere, Davide Bertelli et al.. Potential of Full-Fat Silkworm-Based Diets for Laying Quails: Performance and Egg Physical Quality. Animals : an Open Access Journal from MDPI. (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13091510

AUTHORS

10 · 3 CENTRES

Yazavinder Singh, Marco Cullere, Davide Bertelli, Severino Segato, Giovanni Franzo, Antonio Frangipane di Regalbono, Paolo Catellani, Cristian Taccioli, Silvia Cappellozza, Antonella Dalle Zotte

1Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, MAPS, University of Padova, Agripolis, Viale dell’Università 16, Legnaro, 35020 Padova, Italy; [email protected] (Y.S.); [email protected] (M.C.); [email protected] (S.S.); [email protected] (G.F.); [email protected] (A.F.d.R.); [email protected] (P.C.); [email protected] (C.T.)
2Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy; [email protected]
3Sericulture Laboratory, Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA–AA), Via Eulero 6a, 35143 Padova, Italy; [email protected]