Proximate composition of housefly larvae (Musca domestica) meal generated from mixture of cattle blood and wheat bran

A O Aniebo, E S Erondu* and O J Owen 

Department of Animal Science, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, PMB 5080 Port Harcourt, Nigeria

okeyphasona@yahoo.com

*Department of Animal Science and Fisheries, University of Port Harcourt. Nigeria

Abstract 
 

Proximate composition of housefly maggot (Musca domestica) meal produced from decomposition of mixture of whole undiluted blood (WUB) and wheat bran (WB) was evaluated to determine the crude protein, amino acids, crude fibre, ether extract, and ash contents.

Results revealed that maggot meal contains 47.1% crude protein, 25.3% fat, 7.5% crude fibre and 6.25% ash at dry matter level of 92.7%. The amino acid profile showed that maggot meal contains 17 amino acids among which are nine essential amino acids. Tryptophan was not identified. The most limiting essential amino acids, lysine and methionine were found to be higher in the maggot meal (6.04% and 2.28% respectively) when compared with those of other conventional protein sources including fish meal. It also revealed a balanced Leucine/Isoleucine ratio.

Key words: cattle blood, maggot meal, proximate composition, wheat bran

Introduction

Insect larvae (maggots), earthworms and termites have been found to be very good protein sources (Alao and Sonaiya 1991; Foo 1999; Fasakin et al 2003; Idowu et al 2003). The use of maggot protein for poultry and fish production has been widely reported (Atteh and Adedoyin 1993; Sheppard et al 2002). However, different authors have reported different nutritional values for maggot meal some of which were attributed to variations in species, age, method of processing and source of maggot (substrate) (Atteh and Ologbenla 1993; Teguia et al 2002). On the other hand, little information is available on the amino acid profile of maggot meal (Teotia and Miller 1974). The common housefly (Musca domestica) is probably the most efficient breeder of maggots with high protein content (Gawaard and Brune 1979; DuPonte and Larish 2003; IDPH 2005; Teguia and Beynen 2005). Fasakin et al (2003) reported crude protein content to be between 43.3% - 46.7% depending on the drying methods. Atteh and Ologbenla (1993) reported a variation in the chemical composition of the housefly larvae depending on the time of harvesting.

A good knowledge of the nutrient composition of specific maggot, especially one from a commercial model, with regards to its protein and amino acid contents will equip diet formulators with more definite data for correct placement and replacement of feed ingredients in ration formulation. The current study was undertaken to investigate the crude protein, fat, fibre, ash and amino acid contents of maggot meal specifically grown in a substrate mixture of cattle blood and wheat bran, as a commercial model for maggot production.

Materials and methods 

Mature maggots were harvested from a pool of maggot grown in a substrate mixture of cattle blood and wheat bran on the 3^rd day of larvae formation using stimulated sedimentation technique (S.S.T.) (Aniebo 2007). Harvested samples were processed by oven drying at a temperature of 105⁰C until 92.7% dry matter was attained. Dried samples were subjected to proximate analysis (AOAC 1990) to determine crude protein, fat, crude fibre and ash contents all replicated thrice in a completely randomized design while  metabolisable energy (ME) was calculated. Nitrogen was determined using the Kjeldahl procedure, fat was determined by petroleum ether (bp 40 – 60^oC) extraction in a Soxhlet apparatus. Crude fibre determination involved dissolution of starch and protein constituents of the sample through boiling with acid and then sodium hydroxide. The residue was fibre. Ash determination was by ignition of sample at 550^oc to burn off organic materials. Finally, carbohydrate (CHO) was calculated using the formular [100 – (moisture + fat + fibre + protein + ash)] = CHO.

Amino acid profile of maggot meal was determined using methods described by AOAC (1990).This involved drying of sample to constant weight, defatting, hydrolyzing, evaporating in a rotary evaporator and loading into the Technicon Sequential Multi sample amino acid analyzer (TSM) where free acidic, neutral and basic amino acids were separated. One hundred milligrams defatted samples were weighed into 250cm³ round bottom flask and mixed with 25cm³ 6M HCL. After adding anti-bumping granules, the solution was boiled at 110^oC for 24 hours. The TSM was then loaded with 10ml hydrolysate in a buffer p^H 2. The mixtures were passed through a heating bath where colours developed and absorbance was monitored simultaneously and continuously in the calorimeter components. The signals were magnified and traced on a two pen recorder using a linear chart to develop a chromatogram. The area under the peak is calculated as the concentration of each amino acid. This was expressed as g/16gN to the equivalent of g/100g protein.

Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance using the model for a completely randomized design (Steel and Torrie 1980).

Results and discussion  

Proximate analysis showed that housefly maggot meal from substrate mixture of cattle blood and wheat bran harvested on day 3 contained 47.1% CP; 25.3% fat; 7.5% CF and 6.25% ash at a dry matter level of 92.7%. The crude protein of 47.12 obtained in this study is a proof of the high protein content of this particular maggot meal. This result is similar to the findings of Gado et al (1982), Atteh and Ologbenla (1993), and Fasakin et al (2003) who reported a crude protein content of 45%. However, it is far from Calvert et al (1971) who reported 63%. The fat content is within the range of 20.7 - 25.3% reported by Atteh and Ologbenla (1993) and higher than that reported by Awoniyi et al (2003). 7.0% crude fibre in maggot meal reported in this study is higher than 6.3% reported by Awoniyi et al (2003). Results obtained indicated that proximate composition of maggot was not influenced by the substrate medium when compared to the findings of other researchers who used different substrate media to grow their maggot.

Results showed that maggot meal contains 17 amino acids including 9 essential amino acids (Table 1), when compared with amino acid profile of other commonly used protein concentrates (Table 2).

It was observed that the 10th essential amino acid, tryptophan was not identified, while the most limiting essential amino acids, lysine and methionine were higher in maggot meal than in any other protein feedstuff including fish meal. The ratio of leucine and isoleucine (6.35:3.06) often implicated in amino acid antagonism (Crawshaw 1994) was similar and higher than those of fish meal, 4.45; 2.97 (NRC 1977). The absence of tryptophan tended to cast doubt on the balance status of maggot meal (Teguia et al 2002). This could be the cause of better performance of fish meal than maggot meal in broiler diet (Fasakin et al 2003). The use of maggot meal as a protein supplement may therefore require combination with another protein source that is high in tryptophan. However, the non identification of tryptophan could be that it was destroyed by hydrolysis procedure. Wilson and Walker (2000) reported that the hydrolysis procedure destroys or chemically modifies the asparagine, glutamine and tryptophan residues in protein. While asparagine and glutamine are converted to their corresponding acids (aspartic and glutamic acids) and are quantified with them, tryptophan is completely destroyed. That could have informed the absence of tryptophan among the twenty listed amino acids which would be separated sufficiently for accurate integration by the hydrolysis method (AOAC 1990). Tryptophan should therefore be best determined spectrophotometrically on the unhydrolysed maggot protein. Maggot meal if produced in commercial quantity will go a long way in increasing the production of poultry and fish.

Acknowledgement 

The authors are grateful to Owuno Friday of the Food Science and Technology laboratory, RSUST Port Harcourt for the chemical analysis. Chinonso Onyeguili, Nnamdi Aniebo, Nwabueze Chigbu and Mrs Grace C. Aniebo of Phasona Fisheries and Plantation Farms Rumueme, Port Harcourt for sample collection and preparation of the manuscript.

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Received 25 June 2008; Accepted 9 October 2008; Published 5 December 2008

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