Research Journal of Animal Sciences
ISSN: Online 1994-4640ISSN: Print 1993-5269
Abstract
Entomophagy has gained ground as a novel solution to food and nutrition insecurity especially in subtropical and tropical countries. Edible insects such as cockroaches have potential to mitigate nutritional deficiencies, alleviate erratic supply of protein in feeds and also be reared on locally available organic substrates. This study investigated growth performance and survival of Blattella germanica reared on locally available organic matter substrates as treatments-spent brewers grain (Treatment A), Treatment B consisting (40%: wheat bran: 40% spent brewers grain: 20 % Caridina nilotica), wheat bran (Treatment C) and C. nilotica (Treatment D) and in a Completely Randomised Design (CRD). Each treatment was replicated four times, while in each replicate 20-30 nymphs were reared for forty-two days. Feed intake for all the treatments was not significantly different but there was significant difference in mature weight, average daily weight gain, live weight and survival during the 42 days of rearing period. The highest mature weight, overall performance index, survival was 90.25 mg, 197.35, 96% recorded in treatment B. Based on this findings, a single feed as used in this study was inferior to the composite(treatment) in all parameters of growth performance and survival thus it could be suitable substrate for mass production of B. germanica for feed and food.
How to cite this article:
V.M. Ngaira, R.O. Mosi, C.C. Wambui and F.O. Wayua. Effects of Organic Substrates on Development and Survival of Blattela germanica for Food
and Feed in Kenya.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36478/rjnasci.2021.15.19
URL: https://www.makhillpublications.co/view-article/1993-5269/rjnasci.2021.15.19