Black Soldier Fly
2023 FEB 16
Preliminary >
Agriculture > Allied areas > Livestock rearing
Why in news?
- India is among the top five chicken and egg producers in the world, but there are challenges to the business for small poultry farmers because of the quality, quantity and cost of poultry feed.
- Poultry feeds account for up to 70% of the entire cost of poultry production.
- Feed resource availability is a major determinant of the sustainability of the poultry sector.
Black Soldier Fly and Poultry feed:
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About Black Soldier Fly:
Black soldier fly is a common and widespread fly of the family Stratiomyidae.
They feed on a variety of organic matter, from rejected food waste to manure.
They also have high waste -to-biomass conversion efficiency.
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- Black Soldier Fly larvae can be a low-cost, low-footprint, eco-friendly as well as natural feed companion to poultry farmers.
- The larvae of Black Soldier Fly are capable of converting organic waste into a wide range of useful vitamins and minerals.
- They are thus rich in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese and so on. They are also easy to raise >> which makes them a promising candidate for livestock feed.
PRACTICE QUESTION:
Black Soldier Fly, recently discussed in news, due to its utility in:
(a) Livestock feed sector
(b) Recycling of plastics
(c) Reducing toxicity in air
(d) Water purification
A
">Answer
