The rising costs and unsustainability of producing or harvesting protein for animal feed have led to seeking alternative sources. Interestingly, livestock systems that require this feed also generate a large population of pest insects, which pose risks to human and animal health but also offer a potential untapped protein source. However, research is required to assess the safety and practicality of incorporating wild-caught insects into livestock diets. If proven viable, this circular agricultural method could be used to supplement or replace traditional protein sources. We employed an insect mass harvesting trap (the USDA-BHT) to collect substantial quantities of house flies from livestock facilities. The addition of olfactory attractants significantly boosted fly collections, whereas visual attractants had no observable impact. Notably, providing shaded resting areas resulted in the highest fly capture rates, regardless of the attractant used. Pathogen screening via next-generation sequencing revealed certain bacteria as the most likely contaminants to potentially be added to animal feed. However, milling and heating the flies significantly reduced the number of culturable bacteria while still preserving the nutritional composition, including high protein levels. Digestibility and growth studies using diets incorporating wild-caught house flies are currently underway in several livestock species. This research represents a promising step toward addressing the dual challenges of reducing pests in livestock facilities and sustainable protein procurement.
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