Dietary Clanis bilineata (soybean hawkmoth) larval meal improves broiler performance and immunity

Abstract The effects of replacing soybean meal with Clanis bilineata (soybean hawkmoth) larval meal (CBLM) at 0%, 10%, 30%, and 50% on broiler chicken immunological responses, growth performance, and meat quality were investigated. Four food regimens were randomly assigned to 240 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks with six replicates per group and ten birds per pen. Dietary CBLM significantly boosts blood immunological markers, with greater IgG (6.8 g/l, ), IgA (2.4 g/l, ), and IgM (4.1 g/l, ) levels in the 30% group compared to the control group (5.4, 1.8 and 3.2 g/l). The immunomodulatory effect was confirmed by a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF- α in the 30% CBLM group compared to the control (62.3 vs 75.0 pg/ml, ; 69.8 vs 82.1 pg/ml, ), indicating an improved anti-inflammatory state rather than immunological over-activation. The 30% CBLM group had the highest body weight of 2035.6 g (vs 1865.4 g in control, ), an average daily gain of 94.5 g/day (vs 87.5 g/day in control, ), and a feed conversion ratio of 1.24 (vs 1.29 in control, ). These data imply that moderate CBLM inclusion (at 30%) in broiler’s diets can improve immunity, development, and meat quality, providing a sustainable and functional protein supply.