Dubia cockroach (Blaptica dubia) as an alternative protein source for animal feed

• Main Author: Lam, Pei Yee
• Format: Undergraduate Final Project Report
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://discol.umk.edu.my/id/eprint/6153/

As world population increasing, the production of food crops are unable to sustain human and livestock food consumption. World climatic change gives negative effects on plant crops and causes reduction in crops yield. Blaptica dubia is a cockroach species that used as feed for most reptiles and amphibians because of it nutritive content. Its alternative protein sources can replace the current high priced imported animal feed such as fishmeal, soybeans and meat. It have potential as an animal diets and minimize high livestock farming cost of the farmers. A study was conducted to determine the nutritional composition of B. dubia in different growth stages and a preliminary digestibility test on animal model using B. dubia as feed. The proximate analysis of male B. dubia contained 62.70 ± 1.08% moisture, 4.17 ± 0.03 % ash, 54.32 ± 2.00% protein, 4.38 ± 0.79% chitin and 35.51 ± 0.71% fat on dry weight and that the female consisted of 61.46 ± 3.45% moisture, 3.69 ± 0.05% ash, 52.87 ± 1.01% protein, 5.58 + 0.23% chitin and 35.49 ± 3.68% fat values. Where else, there were 59.06 + 1.00% moisture, 2.47 + 0.02% ash, 47.50 ± 0.23% protein, 3.83 ± 0.36% chitin and 44.22 ± preliminary digestibility trial using 3 cats was 1.05% fat on dry weight of nymph. A preliminary conducted to assess apparent digestibility of crude protein in prepared B. dubia feed pellets. High apparent crude protein digestibility (81.57 ± 3.30%) was tested feed pellets could be an alternative protein source as the animal feed especially in pet industry