Chemical Quality and Utility of Wheat Pollard Maggot Combination Feedstuff with Different Steaming Duration: Potential as Functional Feed for Poultry

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of different combinations of wheat pollard and maggot, along with varying steaming times, on feed chemical quality and nutrient utilization in poultry.Culled laying hens were used for the utilization test due to their fully developed digestive tracts.The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 3 factorial pattern and three replications.The first factor was the proportion of feed ingredients: L0 (50% wheat pollard and 50% maggot) and L1 (75% wheat pollard and 25% maggot).The second factor was steaming time: T0 (no steaming), T1 (steaming at 121 °C for 15 min), and T2 (steaming at 121 °C for 20 min).Maggots used in the study were less than 15 days old.The parameters measured were True Metabolizable Energy (TME) and Apparent Metabolizable Energy (AME).The results showed that different combinations of wheat pollard and maggot with varying steaming times had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on chemical quality and nutrient utilization.The best treatment was the combination of 50% maggot and 50% wheat pollard with a steaming time of 15 min.This treatment produced dry matter of 88.17%, ash 12.96%, crude fat 18.87%, crude protein 23.73%, crude fiber 7.89%, nitrogen-free extract 36.55%, and gross energy of 3,356 kcal/kg.Digestibility values were 71.85% for crude protein, 89.47% for crude fiber, and 87.08% for crude fat, with AME of 2,753.42kcal/kg and TME of 2,903.18kcal/kg.Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis showed that starch granules began to swell following steaming.