A comparison between a commercial cricket gut-loading diet and a poultry layer grain in proximate, mineral, and vitamin composition
Citation
O’Hara JL, Kappen KL, and Morris CL. 2019. A comparison between a commercial cricket gut-loading diet and a poultry layer grain in proximate, mineral, and vitamin composition. In Brooks M, Freel T, Koutsos E Eds. Proceedings of the Thirteenth Conference on Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition, Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition Foundation and AZA Nutrition Advisory Group, Saint Louis, MO.
Abstract
Calcium and vitamin A deficiencies in amphibians can threaten the health of captive collections. Metabolic bone disease, a result of inadequate calcium or improper calcium to phosphorus ratios, causes skeletal weakness, fracturing, poorly mineralized bones, and muscle spasms (Ferrie et al., 2014; McWilliams, 2008). Deficiencies in vitamin A can cause “short tongue syndrome”, poor immune health, low tadpole survival rates, and low reproductive success (Ferrie et al., 2014; McWilliams, 2008). Both appear to be caused by low vitamin A and calcium concentrations in common feeder species. Typically, commercially available gut-loading diets and dusting treatments are used to compensate for these deficiencies. These gut-loading diets include supplemented calcium to balance the Ca:P ratio and vitamin A to prevent hypovitaminosis A. Much like these feeder cricket diets, poultry layer grains also provide supplemental calcium and vitamin A to increase reproductive success. However, there is substantial difference in price between poultry layer grain and commercial feeder cricket diets. The poultry grain and commercial gut-loading cricket diets used at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium (OHDZA) cost $0.32 per lb. and $1.59 per lb., respectively. If layer grain provides similar supplementation to a cricket diet, then layer grain could be a more economical gut-loading options for facilities that use feeder crickets. Following a 24-hr gut load with layer grain, commercial cricket diet, or produce mix, samples were collected to analyze each treatment for comparison. Proximate nutrients, minerals, and vitamin A as retinol and beta-carotene were measured for the different diets. While vitamin A concentrations in layer grain and in commercial gut-load diets are similar, the calcium concentration of the gut-load diet is higher than that of the layer grain, and these differences were reflected in the gut-loaded crickets.
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