A future platform for growing better insects
On May 10 and 11, Thomas Farrugia (Beta Bugs) and Simon Lague (Better Insect Solutions) will give a presentation on the opportunity for UK farmers to produce insect protein at the UK Pig and Poultry in Stoneleigh. During this talk, farmers will learn what growing Black Soldier Fly Larvae requires, what it can do for poultry production and how Beta Bugs and Better Insect Solutions can help you get started.
How do you become an insect farmer?
Feeding insect protein to poultry (and pigs) will soon be the norm in the UK as production soars in the EU and around the world. How do you become an insect farmer? Thomas Farrugia, CEO of Beta Bugs, will explain the system to visitors, from small-scale home production to large-scale diversification. In the next five years, it will become normal to feed insects. Since the EU approved feeding insects to pigs and poultry last year, it is important that the UK is left behind.
The benefits are significant
Insects can grow very quickly on food waste, and reducing soy in rations helps both the environment and the industry’s carbon footprint. Tesco has opened an innovation fund to reduce emissions and this includes animal feed, while Morrison’s will use live insects as a supplement in their laying hen feed this year. Initial results indicate improved welfare as the birds become more interested in the insects. Feeding dead insects or insect powder will become more common. We will see small-scale producers wanting a modular and batch system, while larger vertically integrated companies may start their own insect departments. At the same time, feed companies will get involved.
A rabbit into an elephant in 2 weeks
So how does it work? Growing insects is a lot like running a chicken house, with the same systems for temperature control, feed and environment. The only difference is that you have millions and millions of animals-which are only smaller. The most commonly used insects are “black soldier flies,” which Beta Bugs has bred specifically for better performance. They provide the eggs, which develop into larvae and grow rapidly from day 5 to 14, at which point they are ready for use. Insects are tremendously efficient with a 5000-8000% increase in mass. It is like turning a rabbit into an elephant in two weeks.
Beer brew to food waste
The raw material is anything that can be fed to livestock, from beer brew to dairy whey. But ultimately, it would make more sense to create a truly circular economy by using food waste or even manure. Companies that manage food waste diversify into growing insects as it is integrated into the supply chain, saving emissions from landfills.
Optimal climate
The larvae require a very stable environment, at 30⁰C and 70% relative humidity. Producers can convert existing poultry houses or build new houses, housing the larvae in crate systems and environmentally controlled chambers. Obviously, keeping a house at that temperature takes a lot of energy, so it is important to capture as much energy as possible. The Inno+ Triple EEE system can do this by extracting energy from their air scrubbers. This means BIS insect farms are keeping the planet clean while reducing the carbon footprint of protein production. The resulting nutrient-rich wastewater is available to spread on the land as organic fertilizer. Frass, a byproduct of insects, can also be used as an organic fertilizer. Thus, this becomes a truly circular system where every output can be reused.
Small-scale production and nutrition in the early stages
A typical broiler ration has a protein content of 18%, mostly from soy. If a producer with 100,000 hens traded half of that for insect protein, he would need 1.08 tons of insects per day. Better Insects Solutions is conducting trials of production in shipping containers, so in the future, small-scale producers can simply install a plug-and-play unit on the farm, while larger producers can convert or erect entire warehouses. The cost of doing this on a small scale is currently prohibitive compared to using soy, so it is unclear how much soy, insect protein will realistically replace. For now, it is clear that feeding chicks early can improve feed conversion, while insect oil appears to have antimicrobial properties, which could benefit gut health.
50-fold market growth in 10 years
Producing and feeding insect protein in the UK also makes the supply chain more stable, resilient and green. By producing our own proteins, we have more control. To make that happen, we will need producers who do this on a large scale. Once the regulatory barriers are removed, adoption is likely to be very rapid. The BIS team is shocked by the recent attention. We believe growth will be 50-fold over the next 10 years. There is no doubt that it will become prevalent.
Thomas Farrugia – founded Beta Bugs after discovering the possibility of improved genetics in the rapidly developing insect breeding industry. This led to the establishment of an initial nucleus population and selective breeding program for the Black soldier fly alongside The Roslin Institute, world leader in animal genetics. Thomas believes the insect industry will need to specialize and segment horizontally to reach its full potential. Beta Bugs and genetics are part of this supply chain, providing genetically enhanced quality livestock for use by insect growers.
Simon Lague – has been working in the field of precision farming for the last 10 years. Developing advanced sensor techniques through digitization to measure animal behavior. He is an advocate of using agricultural technology and information to provide evidence for “sustainability.” He is currently focused on establishing a global benchmark for emissions reduction using air scrubbers. More recently, as part of the BIS team, he developed a scalable platform for insect protein production. Simon also has more than 30 years of information technology experience in aviation telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, banking and criminal intelligence.
View both speakers' presentations here
Learn more
- Article – “Insect farming and how it is supporting the race to net zero”
- Register your interest in this event or the pig and poultry show in general here: https://pigandpoultry.org.uk/visiting-information/
- For more information on Pig and Poultry: https://www.pigandpoultry.org.uk/