A bio-economic model for estimating economic values of important production traits in the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens)

TY - GEN

T1 - A bio-economic model for estimating economic values of important production traits in the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens)

AU - Zaalberg, Roos Marina

AU - Nielsen, Hanne Marie

AU - Noer, Natasja Krog

AU - Schou, Toke Munk

AU - Jensen, Kim

AU - Thormose, Sarah

AU - Kargo, Morten

AU - Slagboom, Margot

N1 - Conference code: 75

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Insects are a promising source of sustainable high-quality protein for feed and food. The production of insects could be optimized by using selective breeding tools, such as a breeding goal to select the best parents. A breeding goal is a collection of traits, where each trait is weighted with a so-called economic value (EV). This study is the first to investigate the EV of important production traits in an insect species, namely, the black soldier fly (BSF). We used a bio-economic model to estimate EV for larval mass on day 15, feed intake, growth rate, dry mass-, protein- and fat content, development time, eggs per fly, egg hatching rate, and larval mortality. The EV of a trait was the increase in profit when the trait value was increased by 10%, while the other traits were unchanged. Theresults revealed that the traits with the highest EV were those related to composition (dry mass and protein). The lowest EV were for traits related to reproduction and development time. Before we can implement a breeding goalin a BSF breeding program, we need to learn more about the genetic parameters of the most relevant production traits. In conclusion, the EV presented in this study are the first step in the development of a more sophisticated insect breeding program.

AB - Insects are a promising source of sustainable high-quality protein for feed and food. The production of insects could be optimized by using selective breeding tools, such as a breeding goal to select the best parents. A breeding goal is a collection of traits, where each trait is weighted with a so-called economic value (EV). This study is the first to investigate the EV of important production traits in an insect species, namely, the black soldier fly (BSF). We used a bio-economic model to estimate EV for larval mass on day 15, feed intake, growth rate, dry mass-, protein- and fat content, development time, eggs per fly, egg hatching rate, and larval mortality. The EV of a trait was the increase in profit when the trait value was increased by 10%, while the other traits were unchanged. Theresults revealed that the traits with the highest EV were those related to composition (dry mass and protein). The lowest EV were for traits related to reproduction and development time. Before we can implement a breeding goalin a BSF breeding program, we need to learn more about the genetic parameters of the most relevant production traits. In conclusion, the EV presented in this study are the first step in the development of a more sophisticated insect breeding program.

M3 - Article in proceedings

SN - 979-12-210-6769-9

T3 - EAAP Book of Abstracts

SP - 633

EP - 633

BT - Book of Abstracts of the 75th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science

PB - EAAP

CY - Rom

T2 - 75th EAAP Annual Meeting

Y2 - 1 September 2024 through 5 September 2024

ER -