Reducing feed costs of layer hens

The objective of the work was to reduce the feed costs of the Creole hen egg production unit through supplementation with fly larvae. The duration of the evaluation was 6 months. For the trial 15 Creole hens were taken and their feeding costs were evaluated with a diet based on commercial concentrate. They were fed 115 grams of feed per bird daily for a period of 3 months; subsequently 40% (46 grams) of the diet was replaced with house fly larvae (Musca domestica L.) and 60% (69 grams) with commercial concentrate feed. During the trial period the following production data were recorded: number of eggs collected and average egg weight. As a result of the work it was estimated that the feeding costs with commercial feed were $4673 bird/month and $4214.7 bird/month for the diet consisting of 60% commercial feed and 40% fly larvae. According to the economic analysis fly larvae supplementation increased income by 56.5%.