One of the key challenges in the poultry industry is providing cost-effective feed while maintaining product quality and environmental sustainability. One common approach is to develop low-protein feed to reduce ammonia emissions from poultry farms. However, reducing protein levels in feed often results in higher fat content in chicken bodies.
A research team from the Faculty of Animal Science at Universitas Gadjah Mada (Animal Science UGM) has discovered that oil derived from black soldier fly larvae (BSFLO) can reduce fat accumulation in broiler chickens fed low-protein diets.
The findings have been published in Poultry Science, a Q1 journal with an impact factor of 3.8.
Dr. Muhsin Al Anas, the lead researcher, stated that black soldier fly (BSF) could offer a promising alternative ingredient for future poultry feed, contributing to the production of healthier chicken meat.
“We aim to provide a solution that is not only cost-efficient but also beneficial for animal health, meat quality, and environmental sustainability,” he explained on Tuesday, Jun. 10, 2025.
In the experiment, 288 broiler chickens were divided into six groups based on combinations of protein levels (high, medium, low) and oil types (palm oil and BSFLO) in their feed.
The results showed that although low-protein feed caused reduced body weight, the addition of BSFLO was able to mitigate the adverse effects.
Chickens fed with BSFLO even demonstrated a better feed conversion ratio (FCR), indicating higher feed efficiency.
This efficiency is critical considering the high cost of protein-based feed ingredients.
“The improvement in FCR we observed suggests that BSFLO contributes to better metabolic energy efficiency in broilers,” added Dr. Anas.
Moreover, the effects of BSFLO were observed not only in physical parameters but also at the molecular level.
Low-protein diets are known to increase the expression of fat-forming genes such as FAS, ACC, and SREBP-1, which leads to higher fat content in chickens.
However, when BSFLO was added, the expression of these genes significantly decreased.
In contrast, fat-burning genes such as CPT-1 and PPARα showed increased expression.
The lauric acid content in BSFLO is suspected to play a key role in suppressing cholesterol formation by inhibiting the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme.
“Through a nutrigenomic molecular approach, we demonstrated that BSFLO can influence gene expression and redirect broiler metabolism toward a healthier pathway,” said Dr. Anas.
The positive impact of BSFLO use also extended to the quality of chicken meat.
The fat pad, which typically increases in chickens fed low-protein diets, was significantly reduced in the BSFLO-treated group.
Additionally, the protein content in the meat increased, while fat and cholesterol levels decreased.
The resulting chicken meat also exhibited improved water-holding capacity during cooking, an important indicator in evaluating the sensory and physical quality of meat.
From a sustainability perspective, low-protein diets were shown to reduce nitrogen and ammonia levels in poultry litter, two major contributors to air pollution around chicken farms.
Although BSFLO did not directly affect litter quality, its combined use with low-protein feed helped establish a more environmentally friendly and comfortable rearing system for both farmers and their livestock.
“This innovation aligns with global livestock industry targets to reduce emissions and environmental impact without compromising productivity,” Dr. Anas emphasized.
Through this research, UGM reaffirms its commitment to supporting national food sovereignty through research based on local resources.
The use of BSF larvae and the application of molecular approaches are concrete examples of how livestock innovation can address the challenges of productivity, animal welfare, public health, and environmental conservation simultaneously.
“We believe that local solutions developed through strong research are the key to building a self-reliant and sustainable food system,” Dr. Anas concluded.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna
Illustration: Freepik