Background:

Large-scale insect breeding is a sustainable practice that causes little environmental impact and significant quantities of residues. The silk worm pupa is one of the most commonly generated sub-products in sericulture. Several countries use it as an alternative source for animal nutrition due to its availability and low cost. It offers multiple nutritional benefits that result in better animal health and production.

Aim.

To conduct a review of the state of the art in the utilization of silk worm pupae in animal nutrition, their nutritional value, uses in animal feeding, aviculture, aquaculture, and other domesticated species.

Development:

The scientific results have demonstrated that the pupae can be used satisfactorily as an ingredient in the diet of most domesticated species due to their high contents of protein, essential amino acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. It can meet the nutritional demands of animals to a large extent. The market offers attractive choices for animals, including pets (birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes), based on lyophilized silk worm pupae, which are defatted, frozen, and sold by well-known international brands.

Conclusions:

The silk worm pupae constitute a cost-effective highly nutritional sub-product for the diet of domesticated species with favorable results in animal health and production indicators.