SEED CAKE OF JATROPHA CURCAS (L.), POTENTIAL SUBSTRATE TO PRODUCE MAGGOTS AS FEED FOR REARED MONOGASTRIC ANIMALS
S. C. B. Pomalégni1*, D. S. J. C. Gbemavo2, P. C. Gnanglè3, S. R.Djossou1, M. Kenis 4, S.Babatoundé5, L. R2 Glèlè Kakai2, and G. A. Mensah1
1Laboratory of Animal Science, Fishery and Veterinary (LRZVH) / Sub-Programme of unconventional animal species breeding (SPEEANC) / National Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin (INRAB), 01 BP 884 Recette Principale, Cotonou 01, Bénin.
2Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d’Estimations Forestières (LABEF) / Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques (FSA), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), 04 BP 1525 Cotonou (Bénin).
3Laboratory of Soil Science, Water and Environment (LSSEE) / National Researcher Centre of Agonkanmey (CRA-Agonkanmey) / National Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin (INRAB), 01 BP 884 Recette Principale, Cotonou 01, Bénin.
4 CABI, Rue des Grillons 1, 2800 Delémont, Switzerland, Email : m.kenis@cabi.org
5 Laboratory of Zootechny, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (FSA), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC).
*Corresponding Author Email: Charles.pomalegni@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Seeds of jatropha (Jatropha curcas) are used worldwide to produce biodiesel and the oil extraction generates a high amount of waste called seed cake. Jatropha seed cake has high protein content but its valorization, for example as animal feed, is hampered by its toxicity and anti–nutritional properties. This study, carried out in Benin, West Africa, aimed to determine the capacity of jatropha seed cake to produce fly larvae for animal feed and assess the nutritional quality of the larvae. Three types of substrates were exposed to naturally occurring house flies: jatropha seed cake alone, the same seed cake enriched with earthworms to help detoxifying and decomposing the cake, and corn bran, a substrate commonly used in the region to produce fly larvae. All three substrates produced larvae of similar sizes. The yield obtained with corn bran was significantly higher (55.6 g per kg of dry substrate) than those with pure seed cake (44.5 g) and seed cake with earthworms (50.1 g). However, the larvae produced with jatropha seed cake contained more proteins and other important nutrients than those produced with corn bran. These results show that jatropha seed cake can be valorized by producing fly larvae but it remains to be seen whether the fly larvae produced on jatropha seed cake are not toxic for animals.
Key words: biomass maggot, Maggots size, earthworms, substrate, chemical composition. |