title: Optimisation of a cheap and residential small-scale production of edible crickets with local by-products as an alternative protein-rich human food source in Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The health status of the indigenous people of Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia, is significantly lower compared with that of the rest of the nation. The domestication and mass production of insects may represent a sustainable, cost effective and high quality alternative source of protein to traditional livestock. This study aimed to optimise a cheap and residential cricket breeding system based on unused wild resources. The development of crickets, Teleogryllus testaceus (Walker), under seven diets composed of taro aerial parts, young cassava leaves, young cashew leaves and brown rice flour (with or without banana slices), versus a traditionally used broiler feed diet was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cricket mortality was low in all diets, except the two cashew-based diets. Total biomass was significantly higher under the broiler feed, in addition to the two diets containing a combination of cassava leaf powder and brown rice. Yet, crickets fed with the taro diet had the highest percentage of protein. Concerning the breeding system cost, units using cassava leaves were the cheapest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diets based on cassava leaves seem to be the most promising. Nevertheless, to produce crickets with a high body mass and a high protein level, a new experiments must be devised in which cassava leaf maturity will be adapted to fit with the cricket growth stage. Moreover, to reduce the cost of the breeding units, handmade local products should be used instead of purchased components.
authors: Entomologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, Passage des déportés, 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors: Rudy
authors: R
authors: Caparros Megido
authors: Entomologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, Passage des déportés, 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors: Taofic
authors: T
authors: Alabi
authors: Entomologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, Passage des déportés, 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors: Clément
authors: C
authors: Nieus
authors: Laboratoire de Science des Aliments et Formulation, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, Passage des déportés, 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors: Christophe
authors: C
authors: Blecker
authors: Laboratoire de Science des Aliments et Formulation, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, Passage des déportés, 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors: Sabine
authors: S
authors: Danthine
authors: Biodiversité et Paysage, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, Passage des déportés, 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Bogaert
authors: Entomologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, Passage des déportés, 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors: Éric
authors: É
authors: Haubruge
authors: Entomologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, Passage des déportés, 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors: Frédéric
authors: F
authors: Francis
mesh_terms: D031021:Anacardium; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D002160:Cambodia; D031060:Colocasia; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004032:Diet; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000191:economics; D006135:Gryllidae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D002365:Manihot; D012275:Oryza; D018515:Plant Leaves
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins
keywords: Teleogryllus testaceus; cashew leaves; cassava leaves; crickets; insect rearing; sustainable development; taro leaves