Gut loading crickets (Gryllus sigillatus) to improve their nutritional value for use in pet foods

Insects are a high protein feed ingredient that can be grown sustainably. Insects need less food input, use less water, and grow well indoors making them more sustainable than traditional pet feed ingredients such as soybeans and animal proteins. Some aspects of the nutritional profile of insects can be manipulated by growing them on different feed ingredients. In this study we hope to improve the vitamin E, manganese, and iron content of insects for use in pet foods. We will feed insects sunflower seeds to crickets for various lengths of time. We will design an optimized feeding regiment to boost the nutrient profile of crickets, with the lowest increase of feed input costs.

Faculty Supervisor:

Stephanie Collins

Student:

Bonita McCuaig

Partner:

Midgard Insect Farm Inc

Discipline:

Animal science

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

Dalhousie University