Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention broadly relates to poultry nutrition. More specifically, the present invention relates to a feed formulation for all stages of poultry/broiler farming, that incorporates a lip blended black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal derived from selectively bred BSF lines engineered to possess enhanced antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which improve overall health and growth performance of the poultry. A process of preparing the poultry feed formulation is disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Commercial poultry feed relies heavily on protein and oil as the main ingredient. Protein is the main nutrient in poultry feed and a key factor in determining the cost of poultry feed industry. Among protein sources, meat and bone meal (MBM) is extensively utilized in various quantities in the production of feeds for all range of poultry birds. Further, the plant-based oils are generally used as key metabolite and energy sources in the poultry feed.

Using meat and bone meal (MBM) in poultry feed comes with several challenges that producers must address to ensure optimal health and performance of broilers. MBM can potentially carry pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and prions, which can pose health risks to poultry. Also, MBM can contain contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, or other undesirable substances that can be harmful to poultry. The nutritional content of MBM can vary widely depending on the source and processing methods. There can be significant protein variability in different batches of MBM, and due to the high flow through of ingredients into finished feed for most commercial poultry feed mills, it is difficult to continuously adjust the formulations to account for ingredient nutritional fluctuations. Inconsistent quality can lead to imbalances in the diet, affecting broiler growth and health. There is often public concern and regulatory scrutiny regarding the use of animal by-products in animal feed. This can lead to regulatory restrictions and consumer resistance, impacting the acceptance and use of MBM in poultry feed. The production of MBM involves processing animal by-products, which can have environmental implications and completely dependent on the traditional animal farming grapple with limitations such as land and water scarcity, competition for feed with human consumption, and environmental degradation

The global demand for animal-derived proteins has surged due to the growth in livestock and aquaculture industries. As more producers seek out high-quality protein sources like MBM, competition drives up prices. This situation is exacerbated by events such as disease outbreaks in livestock, regulatory changes, and trade restrictions, which can disrupt the supply chain of raw materials needed to produce MBM, leading to shortages and higher prices. Additionally, the process of rendering animal by-products into MBM is resource-intensive, requiring significant energy input and sophisticated equipment to ensure the product is safe and of high quality. Rising energy costs and advancements in rendering technology further increase production expenses, which are then passed on to consumers. Moreover, MBM's applications extend beyond animal feed to other industries, such as pharmaceuticals for the production of certain antibiotics. This diversification strains its availability for use in animal feed, driving up costs even further.

On the other hand, the reliance on traditional oil sources, such as soybean and rice bran, underscores the importance of exploring alternative energy sources for the feed industry. Soybean oil is a major component but can be subject to price volatility and supply issues due to global market fluctuations and environmental concerns. Rice bran, while valuable, can face quality inconsistencies and spoilage risks. These challenges can affect feed costs, consistency, and livestock health. Therefore, diversifying energy sources is crucial for enhancing food security. Sustainable alternatives can stabilize feed costs and reduce dependency on fluctuating traditional sources, contributing to a more resilient and reliable feed supply.

So, taking into consideration effectively addressing global demand of protein and energy for feed industries necessitates sustainable solutions that curtail environmental impact, diminish reliance on resource-intensive practices, and ensure equitable access to nourishing protein sources. Insect farming has recently emerged as promising avenues to satisfy these demands sustainably while safeguarding environmental resources and biodiversity.

Insects more specifically black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) (Hermetia illucens Linnaeus) exhibit remarkable potential for utilization in livestock feed owing to their nutritional richness, sustainability, and efficient resource utilization. Serving as a protein source, they boast nutritional profiles comparable to, if not surpassing, conventional feed ingredients like soya, MBM and fishmeal. Laden with essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, they can emerge as an ideal dietary supplement for poultry diets. Moreover, insect farming demands minimal land, water, and feed inputs when added with traditional Poultry farming, rendering it a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative.
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Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) can thrive on organic waste materials, effectively converting them into valuable protein biomass, thereby contributing to waste reduction and adhering to circular economy principles. The adoption of insect-based feeds presents a promising avenue for tackling protein security challenges and fostering the sustainable expansion of the global Poultry Feed industry. For example, Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) are directly consumed as feed in some livestock farming.

A reference may be made to de Souza Vilela J, Andronicos NM, Kolakshyapati M, Hilliar M, Sibanda TZ, Andrew NR, Swick RA, Wilkinson S, Ruhnke (2021) who reported BSFL in broiler diets improve broiler performance and modulate the immune system.

Another reference may be made to Nairuti, R.N., Musyoka, S.N., Yegon, M.J., Opiyo, M.A. (2022) who reported use of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens Linnaeus) as a protein source for fish feed.

One more reference may be made to K.B. Barragan, et al. who reported black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.)’s suitability as animal feed.

A further reference may be made to CN115316543A that discloses a feed for laying hens in an egg laying peak period, that employs peanut meal, oyster powder, and soybean oil in addition to soya meal, bran, and BSFL powder.
Although the BSFL are directly consumed as feed in livestock farming, their nutritional values are not properly exploited/utilized by all type of livestock bodies, particularly, for poultry farming. Further, the poultry need various dietary components/ingredients at specific proportion according to their growth stage. Therefore, there arises a need of further treatment of the BSFL along with other ingredients for developing a sustainable, cost effective, and eco-friendly balanced diet formulation that can be produced using minimum conventional ingredients even without harmful chemicals. Particularly, the present invention provides a BSFL based protein enriched poultry feed composition and a process of its preparation, which includes all the advantages of the conventional/existing techniques/methodologies and overcomes the deficiencies of such techniques/methodologies.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to develop a lipid blended BSFL protein meal possessing enhanced antimicrobial peptides to replace meat and bone meal (MBM) and plant-based (soya and rice bran) oils as conventionally used in poultry feed manufacturing.

It is another object of the present invention to a low-cost, eco-friendly, highly nutritious, easily manufacturable balanced dietary feed formulation for poultry that can substantially enhance growth rate at minimum dose and reduced time period, and reduce mortality of the poultry.

It is one more object of the present invention to evaluate efficacy of complete replacement of traditional protein source like MBM in broiler feed with incorporation of organically grown BSFL (Hermetia illucens Linnaeus) meal and oil irrespective of all stages (Pre-Starter, Starter, Finisher), assessing poultry growth performance and feed conversion efficiency to demonstrate practical benefits of the proposed feed formulation.

It is a further object of the present invention to devise a process for preparing lip blended black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal based feed formulation of poultry, that can optimize nutritional value, feed digestibility, and production scalability, while minimizing environmental impact and resource consumption.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The following presents a simplified summary of one or more aspects in order to provide a basic understanding of such aspects. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated aspects, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all aspects nor delineate the scope of any or all aspects. The summary’s sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a poultry feed composition a poultry feed formulation. The formulation comprises a lipid blended black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal premix, a (plant) protein source, an energy source, minerals, a vitamin premix, and additives. The lipid blended BSFL meal premix is synthesized by blending defatted BSFL powder in soya lecithin emulsified BSFL oil. The BSFL meal premix comprises 90-97.5 % BSFL protein, 0.5-6 % BSFL oil, and 0.5-5 % soy lecithin. The plant protein source comprises 2-15 w% of soya meal and 1-6 w% of maize gluten. The energy source comprises 50-75 w% of maize and 1-10 w% of de-oiled rice bran. The minerals include 00.5-2 w% of limestone powder and 0.5-2 w% of dicalcium phosphate. The feed formulation exhibits enhanced antimicrobial properties, and eliminates conventional steps of amino acid addition and mean bone meal and oil usage.

Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which delineate the present invention in different embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying figures.

Fig. 1 illustrates ingredients/materials and machinery used in preparing the poultry feed formulation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 illustrates various process steps employed in preparing the poultry feed formulation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates ingredients/materials and machinery used for separation of BSFL oil from BSFL meal, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 illustrates various sub-steps employed in defatting of the raw BSFL used in the poultry feed formulation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 illustrates a flow chart of processing of various ingredients/materials for obtaining the final feed formulation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

List of reference numerals
100 lipid blended black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal premix
102 BSFL protein/meal
104 BSFL oil/lipid
106 soy lecithin (emulsifying agent)
108 dried BSFL
200 (plant) protein source
300 (plant) energy source
400 mineral source
500 vitamin premix
600 additives
F final feed formulation
VS Vibro sifter sheaving machine
W water blanching/cleaning
D Dryer
M (spiral screw oil press) milling machine
SM shear mixer
B blender
PM pelting machine (extruder)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Various embodiments described herein are intended only for illustrative purposes and subject to many variations. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

The use of terms “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein are meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Further, the terms, “an” and “a” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items.

The feed amount and type for poultry birds are generally selected based on their life cycle stage. The life cycle of the poultry birds can be categorized as: a) 1-14 days old birds called as ‘pre-starter’ stage requiring 3204 Kcal ME/Kg, b) 15-28 days old birds called as ‘starter’ stage requiring 3212 Kcal ME/Kg; c) 29-42 days old birds called as ‘finisher’ stage requiring 3250 Kcal ME/Kg. The commercially available poultry feed mainly uses high content of plant-based protein and oil sources, for example soyabean and rice bran, thus creating environmental pressures associated with soybean/rice bran cultivation. Further, the conventional poultry feed contains animal meat bone meal (MBM). Therefore, the present invention is focused on careful selection of alternative ingredient source and meticulous processing/treatment/incorporation of specific crossbreed BSFL materials to formulate a unique feed formulation that can be administered to all stages of the poultry birds to enhance their growth performance at minimal duration and resource without causing any negative impact on human health and environment. The proposed formulation is specifically designed without inclusion of conventional plant-based oil (energy source) and other animal-based protein source (MBM).

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 1, the poultry feed formulation is depicted. The poultry feed formulation comprises a lipid blended black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal premix (100), a (plant-based) protein source (200), an (plant-based) energy source (300), a mineral source (400), a vitamin premix (500), and additives (600). The lipid blended BSFL meal premix (100) is mainly obtained through processing/treatment of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) (Hermetia Illucens Linnaeus); particularly, synthesized by blending defatted BSFL powder in soya lecithin emulsified BSFL oil. All the ingredients are grinded, mixed, and pelletized into different pellet sizes as per life feed cycle stages of the poultry birds.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the lipid blended BSFL meal premix (100) comprises 90-97.5 % BSFL protein (102), 0.5-6 % BSFL oil, and 0.5-5 % soy lecithin (emulsifying agent). The BSFL meal premix (100) is composed of defatted BSFL protein meal with elevated AMP levels (0.5-3%) and crude protein (CP) content ranging from 42-54%. It also includes purified BSFL oil with enriched omega-3 fatty acids (8.7%-19.3%) and lauric acid (19.8%-34.4%).

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the feed formulation comprises 15.5-24.5 wt% of lipid blended BSFL meal premix (100) for a pre-starter stage of poultry, 13.5-20.5 wt% of lipid blended BSFL meal premix (100) for a starter stage of poultry, and 12-19.5 wt% of lipid blended BSFL meal premix (100) for a finisher stage of poultry, respectively

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the protein source (200) comprises 2-15 w% of soya meal and 1-6 w% of maize gluten. In an example, the protein source (200) includes 8.7-14 w% of soya meal and 1-5 w% of maize gluten for a pre-starter stage of poultry; 3.5-10.7 w% of soya meal and 3-6 w% of maize gluten for a starter stage of poultry; and 2.3-12.5 w% of soya meal and 1-4 w% of maize gluten for a finisher stage of poultry, respectively.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the energy source (300) comprises 50-75 w% of maize and 1-10 w% of de-oiled rice bran. In an example, the energy source (300) includes 50-65 w% of maize and 1-10 w% of de-oiled rice bran for a pre-starter stage of poultry; 55-70 w% of maize and 3-7 w% of de-oiled rice bran for a starter stage of poultry; and 55-75 w% of maize and 1-5 w% of de-oiled rice bran for a finisher stage of poultry, respectively.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the mineral source (400) comprises 0.5-2 w% of limestone powder and 0.5-2 w% of dicalcium phosphate.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the feed formulation comprises 0.07-0.2 w% vitamin premix (500) including vitamin E and vitamin C.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the feed formulation comprises 1-3 w% additives (600). In an example, the additives (600) are selected from a group consisting of 0-0.5 wt% lysine, 0-0.05 wt% probiotics, 0.02-0.1 wt% enzyme, 0.05-0.5 wt% antioxidants, 0.1-0.5 wt% toxin binder, 0.02-0.5 wt% acidifier, 0.05-0.5 wt% liver tonic, other components or mixture thereof.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention as shown in Fig. 1-2, the process of preparing poultry feed formulation is depicted. The process comprises steps of: defatting (S1) black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) to separate its oil (104) from meal (102); preheating (S2) the separated BSFL oil (104); emulsifying (S3) the preheated oil using an emulsifying agent (106); blending (S4) the defatted BSFL meal (102) in the emulsified oil to obtain a lipid blended BSFL meal premix (100); making (S5) an ingredient mixture; mixing (S6) the ingredients with the lipid blended BSFL meal premix; and passing (S7) the resultant mixture into an extruder to obtain final poultry edible feed (F). The process employs the most advanced AI (artificial intelligence) driven machinery setup including a shear mixer (SM), a blender (B), a pelleting machine (extruder) (PM).

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the BSFL used in the proposed formulation are produced through meticulous selection of Black Soldier Flies (BSF) breed and specific rearing procedures. In an example, the BSF are collected from different region across India and acclimatized at the Applicants’ laboratory in Odisha, where they are reared on a standardized substrate for one generation. A comprehensive comparative analysis is conducted, focusing on its molecular composition including crude protein, crude fat, essential amino acids, oil composition, and antimicrobial peptide (AMP) content. Total protein is quantified using a Kjeldahl automated Protein and Nitrogen Analyzer (Model No. BOROSIL, KDI050,), amino acids are analysed via High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC - Model No. Agilent HPLC with DAD, FLD Detector 1260 INFINITY II), crude fat through an automated Soxhlet extraction apparatus (Model No. Model No. FAS060), oil composition by GC-MS (Agilent 7010B Triple Quadrupole GC/MS System 8890, 7010 B GC/TQ) and GC-FID(Agilent GC FID with MS Detector 7890 B ,5977 B), and the AMP content is estimated by HPLC (Model No. Model No. Agilent HPLC with DAD, FLD Detector 1260 INFINITY II) with characterization by LC-MS (Model No. Agilent 6530 Q-TOF LC/MS System). Based on desirable traits such as higher protein content, greater body weight, faster bioconversion efficiency, elevated Omega-3 fatty acid levels, and higher AMP levels, three BSF types are selected for crossbreeding. The resulting test groups are rigorously evaluated for AMP levels, antimicrobial efficacy, growth rate, feed conversion efficiency, and Omega-3 fatty acid content, leading to development of BSFGrowX (applicants’ own proprietary genetically enhanced superior BSFL variants exhibiting enhanced traits with respect to higher protein content, greater body weight, faster bioconversion efficiency, elevated Omega-3 fatty acid levels, and increased AMP levels). The BSFGrowX is then inbred for eight generations to ensure trait stability. It is surprisingly observed from the statistical analysis that the BSFGrowX outperforms other lines in AMP expression, growth performance, and pathogen resistance, making it the optimal candidate for mass rearing and integration into the proposed poultry feed formulations.

The BSFGrowX are reared in an organic substrate hatching medium; maintaining 35°C temperature, good airflow, indirect light, 66% humidity for optimal growth, and 6.5-7.5 pH level around to support healthy microbial activity and larval development in the hatching medium; transferring freshly hatched eggs (Eggs typically hatches within 3-4 days) onto a nutrient-rich organic substrate rearing medium; keeping 33°C temperature, good airflow, indirect light, 70% humidity for optimal growth, and a pH level around 6.5-7.5 to support healthy microbial activity and larval development in the rearing medium; changing the rearing medium substrate after 3 days interval while it becomes dry. Typically, after 12 days of feeding the BSFL are harvested when they reach the size 1.5 to 2.5 cm in length, creamy white to dark brown in colour, 0.1 to 0.2 gm in weight with 70% moisture content, which are collected therefrom for further processing/treatment.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 3-4, the BSFL meal defatting step (S1) parameters are depicted. The freshly reared genetically enhanced (BSFGrowX) BSFL having size of 1.5-2.5 cm length and weight of 0.1-0.2 gm with 70% moisture are procured (S11). The BSFL are cleaned (S12) with water and introduced into a vibro sifter sheaving machine (VS) to remove impurities therefrom. The cleaned BSFL is blanched/immersed (S13) in hot water (W) at 99˚C for 1 min minute to eliminate pathogens and improve storage stability. The blanched BSFL is dried (S14) through a heat pump dryer followed by a microwave dryer (D) until its moisture content becomes 6-8%. The dried BSFL is introduced (S15) into a spiral screw oil press machine (M) to separate oil part from its protein (meal) part. Then, the protein part is finely milled to achieve a particle size distribution of 200-600 microns (µm) and contains less than 5% moisture. The oil obtained via the mechanical pressing provides lipid fraction in the BSFL meal premix (100). The nutritional composition of the defatted BSFL meal and the BSFL meal are shown in Table 1 and Table 2, respectively.
Table 1
Proximate Analysis of Precision defatted BSFL meal
Sl. No. Composition Proximate (%)
1 DM (dry matter) 89.70-95.52
2 CP (crude protein) 42.00-54.00
3 EE (ether extract) 5.00-9.00
4 Ash 6.04-11.00
5 CF (crude fiber) 4.64-20.3
6 NDF (neutral detergent fiber) 12.8-22.96
Mineral Elements (g/Kg)
9 Phosphorus 0.05-2.60
10 Calcium 4.60-7.3
11 Chloride 1.50-3.8
12 Potassium 4.0-9.0
13 Sodium 0.5-2.5
14 Zinc 0.01-0.05
15 Manganese 0.008-0.02
16 Copper 0.001-0.006
Essential Amino Acids (%)
17 Lysine 0.7-3.2
18 Methionine 1.3-4.1
19 Methionine+Cystine 0.8-1.8
20 Arginine 1.6-3.9
21 Threonine 0.8-2.0
22 Tryptophan 0.2-1.2
23 Phenylanine 0.5-2.6
24 Tyrosin 2.6-4.3
25 Glycine 1.5-4.3
26 Leucine 0.9-2.7
27 Valine 0.9-2.1
28 Histidine 1.3-3.2
Microbial Contamination (CFU)
29 Salmonella Absent
30 E. coli Absent
31 Listeria Absent
32 S. aureus Absent

Table 2
Composition of BSFL oil
Sl. No Test Parameter UOM %
1 Saturated fatty Acid (SFA)
a Capric acid 1.1-4.2
b Lauric acid 19.8-34.4
c Myristic acid 3.3-9.2
d Palmitic acid 10.0-18.4
e Stearic acid 4.36-8.9
2 Transfatty acid (TFA) <0.01
3 Monounsaturated fatty acid
A Palmitolic acid 1.1-4.1
b Oleic acid 4.7-11.5
4 Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acids
a Linolenic acid (Omega-3-Fatty acid) 8.7-19.3

The lipid blend provides a combination of high-quality protein from BSF and energy from the lipids, offering a balanced nutrient profile that supports growth and muscle development in broilers. The inclusion of lipids enhances the palatability of the feed, making it more appealing to broilers, which can lead to better feed intake and improved growth rates. The presence of lipids aids in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) present in the premix, improving the overall nutritional efficiency of the diet. The antimicrobial peptide rich BSFL meal supports gut health and reduce the risk of pathogenic infections, contributing to overall flock health and reduction in mortality rate. The use of the lipid blend in BSFL meal can reduce the need for separate energy sources like vegetable oils, simplifying feed formulation and potentially lowering costs.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the BSFL preheating step (S2) includes heating the BSFL oil at 40-50°C temperature to ensure that it reaches a fully liquid state.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the emulsifying step (S3) includes
addition of soy lecithin (as emulsifying agent) into the warmed BSFL oil in the shear mixer (SM) where it is homogenized under controlled temperature 40-50°C with continuous stirring at 4,000 to 6,000 rpm speed for 10-30 minutes to achieve a stable emulsion. This step optimizes the shear rate between 10,000 and 30,000 s⁻¹, leading to uniform dispersion and consistent emulsion stability. The inclusion of feed-grade soy lecithin optimizes lipid blend stability by promoting homogeneous lipid dispersion within the formulation. Additionally, the soy lecithin enhances fat absorption, thereby improving feed energy density and contributing to overall feed efficiency.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the BSFL meal and oil blending step (S4) includes introducing the defatted BSFL meal into the emulsion in the blender at a feed flow rate of 2 kg/min to 5 kg/min to obtain the lipid blended BSFL meal premix (100). The blender (B) is equipped with AI-driven paddles that dynamically adjusts this flow rate to maintain consistent product quality while responding to real-time process variations. The emulsion is introduced incrementally, beginning at 1% and gradually increasing to 4%. This emulsion is atomized at a pressure of 1.2-1.5 bar to ensure a fine mist distribution, enabling even coating of the powder particles. The AI-optimized paddles operate within a speed range of 35-45 RPM, allowing for thorough blending without overmixing. During this step, the temperature is maintained between 27-29°C to balance oil viscosity, emulsifier solubility, and BSFL powder flow, while keeping relative humidity below 45% to prevent moisture absorption and clumping. The AI system synchronizes and fine-tunes the emulsion spray for uniform application. After blending, the BSFL meal premix (100) undergoes sieving to remove any residual agglomerates, then is analysed using advanced sensors to evaluate blend uniformity, focusing on the even integration of the emulsifier with the BSFL oil and the BSFL powder components. The BSFL meal premix (100) is cooled to room temperature to prevent spoilage and preserve its nutrient integrity, and stored in airtight containers for usage in next steps of feed mixing.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the ingredient mixture making step (S5) includes selecting a mixture comprising 2-15 w% of soya meal, 1-6 w% of maize gluten, 50-75 w% of maize, 1-10 w% of de-oiled rice bran, 0.5-2 w% of limestone powder, 0.5-2 w% of dicalcium phosphate, 0.05-0.2 w% of a vitamin premix including vitamin E and vitamin C, 0.1-2 w% of additives, and other optional components.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the mixing step (S6) includes adding 12-25 wt% of the lipid blended BSFL meal premix into the ingredient mixture to obtain a uniform mixture.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the pelleting step (S7) includes passing the resultant mixture through a steam fed conditioning chamber for lubrication and gelatinization, followed by transforming into edible pellet size through the extruder (PM).

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention as shown in Fig. 5, the BSFL meal premix and other ingredients are weighted/measured very precisely are per the feeding stage of poultry. Before mixing all the solid raw materials/ingredients are crushed using hammer and/or roller mills, which helps in reducing particle size and increase overall surface area of particles with enhanced nutritional values. Then, the horizontal and/or vertical mixers are used to homogenize the crushed ingredients to obtain the homogenous mixture. The homogenous mixture is introduced in the pelleting machine (PM), where the soft and dusty feed are transformed into hard pellets through compression, extrusion, and adhesion. The feed mixture passes through the conditioning chamber where steam is added, providing lubrication, and causing gelatinization of raw starch on vegetative ingredients, enhancing adhesion. Pelleting involves mechanical processing with moisture, pressure, and heat to form larger pellets from small particles. The vertical and/or horizontal coolers are used to reduce temperature of the freshly formed pellets from 80–90°C to about 8 degrees above ambient temperature and adjusts moisture levels from 150-170 g/kg to 100-120 g/kg using ambient air. Then, the pellets may be crumbled to smaller pieces suitable for chicks, commonly used in pre-starter and starter stages. The pellets are sieved to remove small fragments (fines) produced when pellets are cut off from the die and during cooling and conveying. Fines are returned to the pelleting machine for reprocessing. At last, fats/oils are added for coating to enhance the nutritional value of the pellets. This step incorporates oils that is not added before pelleting, using spraying coaters, vacuum-assisted coaters, or centrifugal coating machines. In this way, the final feed product (F) becomes ready for consumption by the poultry. The nutritional (chemical) composition of the final product for Pre-Starter, Starter, Finisher stages of the Broilers are shown in Table 3.
Table 3
Parameters Composition (%)
Proximate (%) Pre-Starter stage Starter stage Finisher stage
DM (dry matter) 88.58 88.62 88.72
CP (crude protein) 20.51 20.61 20.65
EE (ether extract) 4.77 3.77 5.87
Ash 5.31 5.21 5.35
CF (crude fiber) 1.15 1.01 1.11
Carbohydrate 68.26 58.02 55.74
NFE (nitrogen-free extracts) 68.26 58.02 55.74
NDF (neutral detergent fiber) 69.41 70.41 68.13
Mineral Elements
Phosphorus (%) 0.47 0.7 0.71
Calcium (%) 1.01 1.21 1.11
Magnesium(mg/kg) 72 72 71
Potassium (%) 0.71 0.7 0.73
Sodium (%) 0.2 0.2 0.32
CN115316543A Chloride (%) 0.17 0.2 0.21
Zinc(mg/kg) 59 69 69
Manganese(mg/kg) 77 70 70
Selenium(mg/kg) 0.25 0.25 0.25
Iron(mg/kg) 73 83 83
Iodine(mg/kg) 0.48 0.48 0.48
Copper(mg/kg) 11 11 11
Essential Amino Acids (%)
Lysine 1.5 1.5 1.52
Methionine 0.612 0.6 0.61
Methionine+Cystine 0.968 0.8 0.82
Arginine
Threonine 0.964 0.94 0.91
Tryptophan 0.269 0.29 0.3
Phenylanine -- -- --
Tyrosin -- -- --
Glycine -- -- --
Leucine -- -- --
Valine -- -- --
Histidine -- -- --
Gross Energy (Kcal/Kg) 4216.24 4226.70 4277.09
Digestible Energy (Kcal/Kg) 3372.99 3381.36 3421.67
Metabolizable Energy (Kcal/Kg) 3204.34 3212.29 3250.59

Experimental Analysis

The effects of the proposed poultry feed (treated BSFL meal/oil based) composition were compared with the commercially available poultry (soya and rice barn oil and MBM based) feed. 1000 Pre-Starter Chicks (3 days old/40g each) were randomly assigned to two different diets (commercial feed diet, and proposed feed diet). Additionally, chicks with similar nutrition were placed randomly in the bird house. After a week of acclimation to the diet, a seven-week trial commenced. A choice feeding test was conducted throughout the experiment, 500 birds were fed with commercial feed diet and another 500 were fed with proposed feed diet with starting from day one after hatching differently. The experiment took place at the Poultry Farm, Kuhuri, Khordha (Site 1), and Mangal Pur (Site 2), Odisha. All raw materials were procured from local sites of Khordha district. Ambient conditions of 35-37˚C (site 1), 37-40˚C (Site 2) relative humidity between 70–72%, and a light-dark cycle of 14 hours light and 10 hours dark are maintained throughout the experimentation.

Additionally, in order to check the palatability of the diets, 10 chicks were taken. Each chick had the option to choose between one of commercial feed diet or proposed feed diet. 10 chicks in each choice feeding group were randomly assigned to proposed feed diet without their awareness. Over six days, equal portions of meals were provided in two adjacent troughs, allowing variations in feed acceptance to become apparent. To prevent positional bias, troughs were switched every two days, with regular refills made to maintain consistent levels in both troughs. It was observed that all chicks consume both the diets at uniform rate.

A comparative analysis between the commercial feed diet and the proposed feed diet for Pre-Starter, Starter, Finisher stages of the poultry are shown in Table 4.

Table 4
Proposed Feed Diet
Composition (wt%)
(Present Invention) Commercial Feed Diet Composition (wt%)
Ingredient Pre-Starter stage Starter stage Finisher stage Pre-Starter stage Starter stage Finisher stage
Lipid blended BSFL meal premix 15.5-24.5 13.5-20.5 12.0-19.5 0.00 0.00 0.00
Protein Sources Soya meal 8.7-14 3.5-10.7 2.3-12.5 25-30 15.5-22.5 15.5-22.5
Maize Gluten (MGL) 1.0-5.0 3.0-6.0 1.0-4.0 1.0-5.0 3.0-6.0 3.0-6.0
MBM 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.0-5.0 1.0-5.0 1.0-5.0
Energy Sources Maize 50-65 55-70 55-75 50-65 55-70 55-75
Maize Deoiled Cake 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.5-3.5 0.5-3.5
Deoiled Rice Bran (DORB) 1.0-10.0 3.0-7.0 1.0-5.0 1.0-3.0 1.0-3.0 1.0-3.0
Rice Bran Oil 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.5-2.0 0.5-2.0 1.0-3.0
Mineral Sources Limestone Powder 0.5-2.0 0.5-2.0 0.5-2.0 0.5-2.0 0.5-2.0 0.5-2.0
Dicalcium Phosphate 1.0-2.0 0.5-1.0 0.5-1.0 5.0-10.0 1.0-5.0 0.5-3.0
Vitamins and Premix Vitamins Premix (DSM) 0.05-0.1 0.05-0.1 0.05-0.1 0.05-0.1 0.05-0.1 0.05-0.1
Vitamin E 0.01-0.05 0.01-0.05 0.01-0.05 0.01-0.05 0.01-0.05 0.01-0.05
Vitamin C 0.01-0.05 0.01-0.05 0.01-0.05 0.01-0.05 0.01-0.05 0.01-0.05
Essential Amino Acids DL-Methionine 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0-5.0 1.0-5.0 1.0-5.0
L-Threonine 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5-3.0 0.5-3.0 0.5-3.0
Lysine 0.1-0.5 0.1-0.5 0.00-0.1 1.5-4.5 1.5-4.5 1.5-4.5
Additives Probiotics 0.02-0.05 0.02-0.05 0.00-0.05 0.02-0.05 0.02-0.05 0.00-0.05
Enzyme 0.02-0.05 0.02-0.1 0.02-0.1 0.02-0.05 0.02-0.1 0.02-0.1
Antioxidants 0.1-0.5 0.05-0.1 0.05-0.1 0.1-0.5 0.05-0.1 0.05-0.1
Toxin binder 0.1-0.5 0.1-0.5 0.1-0.5 0.1-0.5 0.1-0.5 0.1-0.5
Acidifier 0.1-0.5 0.02-0.1 0.02-0.1 0.1-0.5 0.02-0.1 0.02-0.1
Liver Tonic 0.1-0.5 0.1-0.5 0.05-0.1 0.1-0.5 0.1-0.5 0.05-0.1
Others 0.5-1 0.5-1 0.3-0.7 0.5-1 0.5-1 0.3-0.7
100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

The commercial feed used as a standard here contains soya meal as a major protein source in a range of 20.0-27.5% in case of Pre-starter, 15.0-20.0% in case of Starter and 12.5-19.5% in case of Finisher which was reduced by 8-12 % in each stage of growth after inclusion of the lipid blended BSFL meal premix in the feed. The commercial feed contains MBM in a range of 2-3% in Pre-starter, Starter, and Finisher feed which was completely removed by inclusion of the lipid blended BSFL meal premix in the feed. The Commercial feed contains an energy source in the form of Rice Bran Oil in a range of 12-28% in Pre-starter, Starter, and Finisher feed formulation which was completely removed after inclusion of the lipid blended BSFL meal premix in the feed. Similarly, inclusion of the lipid blended BSFL meal premix was able to replace two major amino acids DL-Methionine and L-Threonine in the feed formulation which was present in a range of 1.5-3.5% and 0.5-1.5% respectively.

Data were collected at each site in every 7 days interval. Average body weight, feed conversion ratio (FCR), mortality rate, meat quality, and general health observations were taken for each site. Body weight was taken for 10 male and 10 female birds for each feed type at all stages of growth. On 36th day two male and two female birds from each feed type from each Site were taken and examined for the final observation for all physical, anatomical, and cytological parameters, whose results are shown in Table 5.

Table 5
Sl. No. Parameter Proposed Feed Diet (Present Invention) Commercial Feed diet Technical Advantages with present invention
1 Average Weight (g) 2.46 Kg 2.05 Kg 20% higher body weight gain
2 Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) 1.25 1.75 28.5% improved feed efficiency
3 Mortality Rate 0.1% 5% 98% reduction in mortality
5 Meat Quality Lean Meat High fat deposits Superior, leaner meat quality
5 Cholesterol Levels Low VLDL & LDL High VLDL Reduced cardiovascular health risks
6 Gut & Intestine Health Intact, healthy Disintegrated, thin fat deposits Enhanced gut health and nutrient absorption
7 Spleen Condition Intact, normal size, red colour Swollen, abnormal size Better immune system functionality

It is surprising observed that the poultry farming with the proposed feed diet show 20% higher body weight gain, 28.5% improved feed efficiency, 98% reduced mortality, improved meat quality, and give positive impact on essential physiological processes/metabolism crucial for broiler chick growth and development and their immune function.

The foregoing descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable the persons skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions, substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but is intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention. , Claims:We Claim:

1. A poultry feed formulation, comprises:
a protein source (200) comprising 2-15 w% of soya meal and 1-6 w% of maize gluten;
an energy source (300) comprising 50-75 w% of maize and 1-10 w% of de-oiled rice bran;
a mineral source (400) comprising 0.5-2 w% of limestone powder and 0.5-2 w% of dicalcium phosphate;
0.07-0.2 w% of a vitamin premix (500) including vitamin E and vitamin C;
1-3 w% of additives (600); and
12-25 wt% of a lipid blended black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal premix (100) synthesized by blending defatted BSFL powder in soya lecithin emulsified BSFL oil.

2. The poultry feed formulation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lipid blended BSFL meal premix (100) comprises 90-97.5 % BSFL protein (102), 0.5-6 % BSFL oil, and 0.5-5 % soy lecithin.

3. The poultry feed formulation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feed formulation comprises 15.5-24.5 wt% of lipid blended BSFL meal premix (100) for a pre-starter stage of poultry, 13.5-20.5 wt% of lipid blended BSFL meal premix (100) for a starter stage of poultry, and 12-19.5 wt% of lipid blended BSFL meal premix (100) for a finisher stage of poultry, respectively.

4. The poultry feed formulation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protein source (200) includes 8.7-14 w% of soya meal and 1-5 w% of maize gluten for a pre-starter stage of poultry; 3.5-10.7 w% of soya meal and 3-6 w% of maize gluten for a starter stage of poultry; and 2.3-12.5 w% of soya meal and 1-4 w% of maize gluten for a finisher stage of poultry, respectively.

5. The poultry feed formulation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the energy source (300) includes 50-65 w% of maize and 1-10 w% of de-oiled rice bran for a pre-starter stage of poultry; 55-70 w% of maize and 3-7 w% of de-oiled rice bran for a starter stage of poultry; and 55-75 w% of maize and 1-5 w% of de-oiled rice bran for a finisher stage of poultry, respectively.

6. The poultry feed formulation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mineral source (400) includes 0.5-2 w% of limestone powder and 1-2 w% of dicalcium phosphate for a pre-starter stage of poultry; 0.5-2 w% of limestone powder and 0.5-1 w% of dicalcium phosphate for a starter stage of poultry; and 0.5-2 w% of limestone powder and 0.5-1 w% of dicalcium phosphate for a finisher stage of poultry, respectively.

7. The poultry feed formulation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additives (600) are selected from a group consisting of 0-0.5 wt% lysine, 0-0.05 wt% probiotics, 0.02-0.1 wt% enzyme, 0.05-0.5 wt% antioxidants, 0.1-0.5 wt% toxin binder, 0.02-0.5 wt% acidifier, 0.05-0.5 wt% liver tonic or mixture thereof.

8. A process of preparing poultry feed formulation, the process comprises steps of:
defatting (S1) black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) to separate its oil from meal;
preheating (S2) the separated BSFL oil at 40-50°C temperature;
emulsifying (S3) the preheated oil with addition of soy lecithin at 40-50°C under continuous stirring at 4,000 to 6,000 rpm speed for 10-30 minutes in a shear mixer (SM);
blending (S4) the defatted BSFL meal with the emulsion mixture in a blender (B) to obtain a lipid blended BSFL meal premix; wherein the defatted BSFL meal is introduced at inflow rate of 2 kg/min to 5 kg/min, and the emulsion mixture is incrementally introduced at proportion of 1-4% with a pressure of 1.2-1.5 bar;
making (S5) an ingredient mixture comprising 2-15 w% of soya meal, 1-6 w% of maize gluten, 50-75 w% of maize, 1-10 w% of de-oiled rice bran, 0.5-2 w% of limestone powder, 0.5-2 w% of dicalcium phosphate, 0.05-0.2 w% of a vitamin premix including vitamin E and vitamin C, and 0.1-2 w% of additives;
mixing (S6) 12-25 wt% of the lipid blended BSFL meal premix into the ingredient mixture; and
passing (S7) the resultant mixture through a steam fed conditioning chamber for lubrication and gelatinization, followed by pelletizing to edible pellet size through an extruder (PM).

9. The process as claimed in claim 8, wherein the BSFL defatting step comprises:
procuring (S12) raw BSFL having size of 1.5-2.5 cm length and weight of 0.1-0.2 gm with 70% moisture;
cleaning (S13) the BSFL with water through a vibro sifter sheaving machine (VS) to remove impurities therefrom;
blanching (S14) the cleaned BSFL in hot water (W) at 99˚C for 1 min minute to eliminate pathogens and improve storage stability;
drying (S15) the BSFL through a heat pump dryer followed by a microwave dryer (D) until moisture content becomes 6-8%; and
introducing (S16) the BSFL into a spiral screw oil press machine (M) to separate lipid part from its protein part.

10. The process as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step (S7) comprises cooling, crumbling, and sieving the pellets, followed by oil coating.