Chitinase improves the effective energy value, amino acids digestibility of black soldier fly and intestinal microbiota of growing pigs

Yang, Yuansen; Xu, Shenrui; Gao, Wenjun; Wei, Yu; Wang, Lu; Lai, Changhua

doi:.0.0.0

Article

https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.24.0920 [Accepted] Published online April 11, 2025.

Chitinase improves the effective energy value, amino acids digestibility of black soldier fly and intestinal microbiota of growing pigs

Yuansen Yang¹

, Changhua Lai^1,*

¹Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Feed Industry Centre, China Agriculture University,, Beijing, China
²Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

Correspondence: Changhua Lai, Tel: +86-10-6273-4393, Fax: +86-10-6273-4393, Email: laichanghua999@163.com

Received: 27 December 2024 • Revised: 20 January 2025 • Accepted: 25 February 2025

Abstract

Objective
The main objective of this study was to determine the energy value and digestibility of amino acids in growing pigs fed black soldier fly (BSF) with chitinase supplementation and its effect on intestinal microbiota.
Methods
In Exp. 1, eighteen barrows with initial body weight (BW) of 31.57 ± 1.24 kg were randomly assigned to 3 treatments with 6 replicates per treatment to determine the DE, ME, and nutrients digestibility, including the corn-soybean meal basal group, the BSF with or without chitinase groups. In Exp. 2, six barrows (36.72 ± 4.2 kg BW) with ileal T-cannulas were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments in 3 periods in a Latin square design to determine the digestibility of the amino acids, including the nitrogen-free group, the BSF with or without chitinase groups.
Results
We observed that that adding chitinase increased the BSF's digestive and metabolic energy by 2.34MJ/kg and 1.37MJ/kg, respectively. Chitinase supplementation had no adverse effects on piglets and could improve the composition of intestinal microbiota, promote the colonisation of beneficial bacteria, and inhibit the proliferation of potentially pathogenic bacteria. Moreover, adding chitinase increased the abundance and homogeneity of intestinal microorganisms in growing pigs. Adding chitinase enhanced the apparent ileal digestibility and standardized ileal digestibility of most amino acids in BSF, such as methionine, leucine, and glutamate.
Conclusion
Adding chitinase can increase the effective energy value and amino acid ileal digestibility of BSF, regulate the composition of intestinal microorganisms and improve the intestinal health of growing pigs, which can provide a reference for developing novel protein feed.

Keywords: black soldier fly; chitinase; growing pigs; energy value; amino acids digestibility; intestinal microbiota