In
recent times, advances have been made or recorded in various disciplines or areas
of life using maggot. These advances are notable, laudable and are listed as
follows;
i)
AQUACULTURE-
Maggot meal as an alternative
protein source: interests to study the use of house fly maggot meal (Magmeal)
as substitute for fish meal in fish diet have increased in recent times (Ogunji
et al., 2008). Magmeal which is of
animal origin has been reported to possess a great potential (Adesulu and
Mustapha, 2000; Fasakin et al., 2003; Ajani et
al., 2004; Ogunji et al., 2006).
It has been noted that silk worm pupae have been an important component of carp
diet in
Japan and china (Ogunji et al., 2008). Newton et al., (1977) used dried ground soldier fly larvae as a dietary
supplement for young pigs with success. Ajani et al., (2004) and Fashina bombata and Balogun (1997) reported that
magmeal can replace up to 100% of fish meal in the diet of Nile tilapia (O. niloticus).The authors concluded that
the biological value of magmeal was equivalent to that of whole fish meal and
that larvae contained no anti nutritional or toxic factors sometime found in
alternative protein sources of vegetable origin. Magmeal can effectively be
used as an alternative protein source in tilapia fingerling production and can
replace fishmeal at a level of 100% in tilapia,50% in carp and 100% in African
catfish (Fasakin et al.,2003, Ogunji et al., 2007). Maggot meal has high potential
in poultry nutrition particularly being an animal protein source in broilers
(Adeniji 2007). Adeniji (2007) reported that maggot meal can be a good
replacement for groundnut cake (GNC) in the diet of broiler. Nzamujo (1999)
reported that mass production of maggot has solution to the high cost of
livestock production.
ii)
MEDICINE
Maggot has been found to be useful
in medicine as it is used for the
production of antibiotics such as antibacterial, anti-fungal drugs etc., for
the treatment of various diseases or infections such as dermatological diseases
(eczema, rashes, pimples etc.) and
infectious diseases(streptococcal, gonococci etc.), (Pavillard and
Wright 1957). Written records have documented that maggots have been used since
antiquity as a wound treatment (Whitaker et
al., 2007). Steenvoorde et al., (2007) reported that maggot therapy is an
efficient medical means of healing wounds and has shown to accelerate
debridement of necrotic wounds. Invitro studies have shown that maggots inhibit
and destroy a wide range of pathogenic bacteria including melhicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), group A
and B Streptococci, and gram-positive
aerobic and anaerobic strains (http://
en.wikipedia.org/w/index.phi). In 2008, a scientific study published in the
British medical journal compared the merits of maggot therapy and standard hydro
gels to treat 270 British patients with leg ulcers from around the UK. The
study revealed no significant differences on the time taken for the ulcer to
heal or the patient’s quality of life. Scott morrism (2003) reported the
usefulness of maggots in animals. He further revealed that maggots were used to
clean dead tissue from animal wounds and are helpful particularly with chronic
osteomyelitis, chronic ulcer and other pus-producing infections that are
frequently caused by chafing due to work equipment. In January 2004, the US
food and drug administration (FDA) granted to produce and market maggots for
use in humans or animals as a prescription only medical device for the
following indication; “For debriding non-healing necrotic skin and soft tissue
wounds, including pressure ulcers, venous stasis ulcer, neuropathic foot
ulcers, and non-healing traumatic or post-surgical wounds”. In February 2004, the British National Health
Service (NUS) permitted its doctors to prescribe maggot therapy (http://newsbbc .co.uk/i/hi/health).
iii)
FOOD INDUSTRY
Maggot is used in the food industry
for the production of sugar. With the help of food scientists from the pet food
industry, a method has been developed to juice maggots by removing the skin and
leaving just the amino-protein. The grub juice from maggot is found to be a
very good attractant to fish. These juice can be used in different ways such as
belie or pellet soak, hook bait dip, ground bait additive etc,.
iv)
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Maggot and its bio-products have
been used for the production of biodiesel and other products. Larva-driven
vermicomposting may be a promising biotechnology featured with remarkable
advantages of waste reduction.
AGRO-BASED FERTILIZER INDUSTRY
The spent
substrates of maggot are used as fertilizer to fertilize directly plants in the
field (e.g. ring application in mango, banana, pawpaw plantation). In farm yard
manure, the spent substrates are incorporated into the compost production.