Growing Maggot for Animal Feed: My Little Experiment

[Henlus]

Very interesting. If I can replace even 30–40% of fish feed with maggots, it will be a huge relief.

Here’s what research and farm trials say:

Safe replacement level of commercial feeds with BSF maggots

20–30% replacement of commercial feed with BSF larvae (fresh or dried) works well — growth and survival are not affected.

Up to 40–50% replacement is sometimes possible if the larvae are well-processed (dried/defatted) and if fish get enough balanced amino acids.

Beyond 50% replacement, growth performance usually drops unless the diet is carefully reformulated, because maggots alone don’t provide the right balance of nutrients.

? How to apply this on-farm

Direct feeding method (supplemental)

Give commercial feed in the morning (for balance).

Feed dried maggots in the afternoon/evening (20–30% of the daily ration by weight).

Mixing method

Replace 20–30% of the daily feed ration with dried BSF meal (by weight).

Example: If you normally feed 10 kg/day commercial feed, give 7–8 kg commercial feed + 2–3 kg dried maggots.

Growth stage consideration

Fingerlings & juveniles: keep maggot inclusion lower (10–20%), since they need precise nutrition.

Grow-out/market size: can handle 30–40% replacement.

? Benefits

Cuts feed cost significantly.

Improves fish health (BSF larvae have antimicrobial lauric acid).

Provides high quality animal protein source.