Animal feed additive for insects

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of at least one amino acid analogue or a protein as a zootechnical additive for the feed of farmed insects, said amino acid analogue being selected from 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid and 2-hydroxy-4-methylselenobutanoic acid and the protein being selected from phytases and non-starch polysaccharide degradation enzymes (NSP-ases); a feed for farmed insects; a method for supplementing the feed of farmed insects and a method for increasing the performance of an insect farm.

Description

Title of the invention: Zootechnical additive for insects

[0001] The present invention relates to the supplementation of the diet of insects, in particular farmed insects.

[0002] Insect farming, that is, the industrial-scale raising of insects, has for several years been proving to be a viable and environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional proteins, particularly those of animal origin, and also a source of feed for monogastric livestock, notably pigs and poultry, as well as for fish in aquaculture. This production requires few resources, especially water, feed, and space, and emits very little greenhouse gas, resulting in a significantly reduced ecological footprint compared to conventional protein production. Furthermore, insects are capable of feeding on organic waste, and their nitrogen-rich excrement is an effective agronomic fertilizer, which further enhances its appeal.In human or animal food, they are consumed live in some countries, or dried, or used in the form of flour generally obtained by dehydration and then crushing, or as extracts such as oils, and constitute a food fraction or supplement rich in protein, omega-3 and low in lipids.

[0003] According to the invention, the focus is on the industrial production of insects and it has been discovered that the introduction of certain compounds into the food of insects makes it possible to increase their performance in a surprising way.

[0004] By performance increase according to the invention, we mean an increase in the body biomass yield of the insects raised compared to that of insects raised under the same conditions but with a diet not supplemented by an additive of the invention, linked in particular to a gain in weight per insect and / or to an acceleration of their reproduction, resulting from a better bioavailability of the constituents of their food.

[0005] These compounds are amino acid and protein analogues, more particularly enzymes. It has indeed been discovered that supplementing the diet of insects with one or more of the following compounds, 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-4-methylselenobutanoic acid, phytases and non-starch polysaccharide degradation enzymes (NSP-ases), leads to better utilization of the feed ration by the insects.

[0006] Thus, the invention relates to the use of at least one amino acid analogue or a protein as a zootechnical additive for the feed of farmed insects, said amino acid analogue being selected from 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid (HMTBA) and acid 2-hydroxy-4-methylselenobutanoic acid (HMSeTBA) and the protein being chosen from among phytases and NSP-ases.

[0007] According to one or more embodiments of the invention, one or both of the amino acid analogs and / or one or more of said enzymes are used. According to a particular embodiment, at least 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-4-methylselenobutanoic acid, a phytase, and an NSP-ase are used. All possible combinations are thus conceivable, and one of HMTBA and HMSeTBA alone, or a mixture of the two amino acid analogs, can be used; one phytase or a mixture of phytases and / or an NSP-ase or a mixture of NSP-ases can be used; and of course, all these alternatives can be combined. By way of example, a mixture of enzymes selected from those described in documents WO2009 / 019335A2 and WO99 / 57325A2 can be used.

[0008] Phytases degrade phytates and phytic acid present in plant-based food sources by hydrolyzing phosphoester bonds to release mineral phosphorus. There are two subclasses of phytases, differentiated solely by the position of the first phosphate hydrolyzed. 3-phytases (EC 3.1.3.8) hydrolyze the phosphate at position 3, and 6-phytases (EC 3.1.3.26) hydrolyze the phosphate at position 6. According to the invention, a 6-phytase is preferably used. It has very high phytate-degrading activity, particularly at low pH. Such a phytase can be produced by microorganisms or supplied by a plant-based raw material.

[0009] NSP-ases are enzymes that degrade non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs). The dietary fiber fraction consists of these NSPs, which include long-chain non-starch carbohydrates such as cellulose, pectins, and glucans; medium-chain resistant carbohydrates such as fructooligosaccharides and galactooligosaccharides; resistant starch; and lignin, which is not a carbohydrate but is nevertheless included in the NSPs [O. Simon. 1998. The mode of action of NSP hydrolysing enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract. J. Anim. Feed Sci. 7 (Suppl. 1):115-123]. NSP-ases break down NSPs into smaller components, such as oligosaccharides, disaccharides, and monosaccharides. By way of non-limiting examples, there are mannanases [S. Dhawan and J. Kaur. 2007. Microbial mannanases: an overview of production and applications. Crit. Rev. Biotechnology.27(4):197-216]; carbohydrases [M. Francesch and PA Geraert, 2009. Enzyme complex containing carbohydrases and phytases improves growth performance and bone mineralization of broilers fed reduced nutrient corn-soybean-base diets. Poult. Sci. 88:1915-1924]. .

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, the insects are chosen from among those whose development involves a larval stage. Moreover, an addendum to the invention will be advantageously intended for the nutrition of insects in the larval stage, during all or part of this phase. Among these insects, interesting performances have been obtained in black soldier flies, abbreviated BSF (from the English term "black soldier fly"; Hermetia illucens).

[0011] Indeed, in some insects such as the BSF, the larval stage is the only one in which the insect seeks to feed. This will be its sole objective, in order to build up a reserve primarily of fat and also sufficient protein to be able to transform into a pupa, then into a fly and reproduce.

[0012] The invention also provides a feed for farmed insects, comprising at least one zootechnical additive as defined above and plant matter.

[0013] Other objects of the invention are described below:

[0014] a method for supplementing the feed of farmed insects, according to which a zootechnical additive of the invention is integrated into the feed of the insects.

[0015] a method for increasing the performance of an insect farm, comprising the step of feeding the insects with a feed comprising a zootechnical additive of the invention or a feed of the invention, as defined in this text; advantageously, the insects are black soldier flies and are in the larval stage.

Claims

Demands

1. Use of at least one amino acid analogue or protein as a zootechnical additive for the feed of farmed insects, said amino acid analogue being selected from 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid and 2-hydroxy-4-methylselenobutanoic acid and the protein being selected from phytases and non-starch polysaccharide degradation enzymes (NSP-ases).

2. Use according to claim 1, of at least 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-4-methylselenobutanoic acid, a phytase and an NSP-ase, as a zootechnical additive for the feed of farmed insects.

3. Use according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the protein or proteins are selected from among the 6-phytases.

4. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the insects are chosen from those whose development passes through a larval stage.

5. Use according to claim 4, characterized in that the insects are in the larval stage.

6. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the insects are black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens).

7. Feed for farmed insects, comprising at least one zootechnical additive as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 and plant material.

8. A method for supplementing the feed of farmed insects, characterized in that a zootechnical additive as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 is incorporated into the feed of the insects.

9. A method for increasing the performance of an insect farm, characterized in that the insects are fed with a feed comprising a zootechnical additive as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 or a feed according to claim 7.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the insects are black soldier flies and are in the larval stage.