Hermetia illucens larvae (five days old) were farmed on broiler feed (control diet), a vegetable diet (V100), a 50% of vegetable diet + 50% of butchery wastes (V50 + B50), and a 75% of vegetable diet + 25% of butchery wastes (V75 + B25) to evaluate their suitability. Ten kilograms of substrate and 6000 larvae composed each replicate (nine per group). Larvae were weighed and measured every two days until the 25% developed into prepupae. Larval mortality and growing indexes were calculated. Substrates, larvae, and frass chemical composition were analyzed. Larvae oxidative status and stability were measured in hemolymph and body. The V100 larvae showed the lowest live weight, length, thickness, and growth rate but had low mortality rate and high substrate reduction index and protein conversion ratio. The V100 larvae had similar protein to and lower lipids than the control ones, while the V50 + B50 and V75 + B25 larvae contained higher lipids and lower protein than the others. Despite the vegetable wastes, at different levels, the reactive oxygen species content decreased in hemolymph, and the V100 diet depressed growth performance and should be avoided. The use of butchery wastes combined with vegetable ingredients can be a suitable alternative to balance the high level of lipid and the low content of protein.
Keywords: Hermetia illucens; butchery wastes; growth; hemolymph; larvae chemical traits; performance; vegetable mix.