Effects of Sesame Seed Inclusion in Chicken Feed on Growth Performance and Body Composition of Black Soldier Fly Larvae

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) can convert organic materials into useful biomass, but substrate suitability depends on both biomass yield and composition. This study evaluated partial and complete replacement of commercial chicken feed with whole sesame seeds during a 15-day feeding trial. Six treatments contained 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, or 100% sesame seeds, with three independent rearing pots per treatment and 200 larvae per pot. Final individual fresh weight was highest at 10% sesame inclusion (0.269 ± 0.008 g), although it did not differ significantly from the control. Total fresh and dry harvested biomass did not differ significantly among the 0–40% treatments. Complete replacement reduced final individual fresh weight to 0.144 ± 0.028 g and the reported fresh-biomass bioconversion rate to 8.8 ± 2.0%. Survival did not differ significantly among treatments. Larvae fed only sesame seeds had the highest fat concentration (51.7 ± 1.2% of dry matter) and lower nitrogen and crude protein concentrations (5.3 ± 0.2% and 30.4 ± 1.1% of dry matter, respectively). Thus, partial sesame inclusion maintained harvested biomass under the conditions tested, whereas sesame-only feeding shifted larval composition toward fat while reducing biomass production. The results do not establish an optimal inclusion level or performance with actual sesame-containing food-processing residues.