Larva development and production are affected
negatively by extreme climate condition (Aniebo et al., 2008). Production
was relatively low due to harmattan which dries up the substrate, thereby
limiting production but warm/humid temperature favors larval development
(Nzamujo 2010).
Table 1 contains proximate
analyses of small larvae sample (SLS) while table 2 contains proximate analyses
of big larvae sample of maggot meal.Comparism between the two tables showed
that the crude protein of the big larva was relatively higher than that of
small larva, thus the big larva had higher percentage of fat, ash and dry
matter while small larva had higher percentage of fiber, moisture and nitrogen
free extract. The gross energy of big larvae is higher than that of small
larvae. Generally maggot meal has shown to be a good source of protein
following the results obtained from this study. The results of the analyses has
shown that magmeal is rich in ash, revealing its high
mineral content and is in
agreement with the study of Teotia and Miller (1973), who reported that maggot
meal is rich in mineral such as phosphorus, trace elements and B complex vitamins.
This is also relatively in agreement with the previous studies reported by
Nwanna et al.,(2004) 14.30% and
Balogun et al.,(2003)13.20% ash.
The respective
crude protein percentages of maggot meal obtained from this study are in
agreement with previous work reported by Fasakin et al.,(2003) that magmeal has crude protein content ranging
between 43.3% and 46.7%. This is also in agreement with the work done by
Spinelli (1978), who reported that maggot meal contain 45% of crude protein but
is higher than that of Ogunji et al.,(2003),
who reported 37.5% crude protein of magmeal and different from the previous works reported by Adesanoye
(1997) 47.2% , Ajani et al.,(2004)
48.0%,Aniebo et al.,(2008) 47%,Calvert
et al.,(1971) 63% and Zhijian et al.,(2010)53.3 – 61.2 %. The nitrogen free extract obtained from this
study is higher than that in previous works reported by Ajani et al., (2004) 14.30, Ajayi (1998) 17.63
%, Adesanoye (1997) 17.22%, Adesulu et
al., (2000)17.62- 20.04%, Ekundare (1999) 24.4%, Fasakin et al.,(2003)20.40%, and Ogunji et al.,(2008)19.6%.The percentage of
fiber (4.18 – 4.25%) obtained for this work is lower than the previous works reported
by Adesanoye (1997)10.2%,Adesulu et al.,(2000)6.5%,Ajayi
(1998)10.2%, Aniebo et al.,(2007)7.5%,Ekundare
(1999)5.8%,Ogunji et al.,(2008)7.2%
and Spinelli (1978)6.28%. Dry matter obtained from this work is relatively in
agreement with the previous work
reported by Ogunji et al.,(2008a)96.4%,
Aniebo et al.,(2007)92.7% and Adesulu
et al.,(2000)94.7%. Gross energy
(17.01-17.59kJ/g) obtained from this work is higher than the gross energy of
the previous works reported by Ajayi (1998)4.98 kJ/g and Adesulu et al., (2000)5.0kJ/g but lower than the
gross energy obtained in the previous work reported by Ogunji et al.,(2009)23.36Kj/g.
However, the different nutritional
values of maggot meal as reported by different authors were attributed to
variation in species, age, method of processing and source of maggot [Atteh and
Ologbenla (1993); Teguia et al,(2002)].
Thus Atteh et al.,(1993) reported
that variation in the chemical composition of the house fly larvae is dependent
on the time of harvest.
ECONOMIC ANALYSES OF MAGGOT PRODUCTION
Table
three showed that the cost evaluation of maggot production is effective and
profitable.Cost per kg of maggot is relatively low (Douglas 2012).Cost per kg
of maggot obtained from this work is cheaper than the cost per kg of fish meal
which is about six hundred naira (Bekibele unpublished). The result obtained
from this work is higher cheaper than the previous study of Fashina – Bombata
and Balogun (1997), who reported that the cost of harvesting and processing one
kg of maggot is less than 20% cost of 1kg of fish meal.
CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
Mass production of maggot through house fly breeding
is viable and profitable. Production is efficient especially during humid or
wet season. Culture of larvae using poultry manure has shown to be effective
and supports greater yield of quality maggots. Maggot meal is a good source of
protein, minerals etc. and contain better amount of gross energy .Maggot meal
has good percentage of protein comparable to fish meal and better than plants
and other alternative protein source. Based on cost, availability and
biological value, maggot meal is said to be a viable.
I
therefore recommend that fish and other livestock farmers should engage in mass
production of maggot through house fly breeding which I believe will ameliorate
the problem of high cost of feed and feeding in aquaculture and should be
preferably done during wet season as dry season or harmattan affects the
production of maggots negatively.