Energy values of Tenebrio molitor larvae meal and tilapia byproduct meal for broiler chickens determined using the regression method

Abstract A study was conducted to determine ileal digestible energy (IDE), metabolizable energy (ME), and nitrogen-corrected ME (MEn) of Tenebrio molitor larvae meal and Nile tilapia byproduct meal for broiler chickens using the regression method. A total of 315 slow feathering Cobb 500 male broilers were fed 5 experimental diets with 9 replicate cages of 7 birds each, in a completely randomized design. Broilers were fed a maize-soybean meal reference diet (RD) and 4 test diets (TD) from d 14 to 21 posthatch. The TD consisted of Tenebrio molitor larvae meal and tilapia byproduct meal that partly replaced the energy sources in the reference diet at 100 or 200 g/kg and 75 or 150 g/kg, respectively, such that equal ratios were maintained for all energy containing ingredients across all experimental diets. Excreta samples were collected twice daily from d 19 to 21, and ileal digesta were collected on d 21. Apparent ileal digestibility of DM, N, amino acids as well as metabolizability coefficients of DM, N, and energy were calculated. Addition of Tenebrio molitor larvae meal to the RD linearly increased (P