Feed Economics
How BSFL Cuts Feed Costs by 25% in Poultry
Sustainable poultry integrators are evaluating insect meal not just for ESG headlines, but for real cost savings. We benchmarked 14 complexes across the U.S. and Canada to model what happens when BSFL ingredients displace fishmeal, a portion of soybean meal, and specialty fats. Below is the CFO-ready math.
Focus: ingredient substitution, ration risk, and what to validate in a trial
Baseline Snapshot
What We Replaced and Why
Traditional broiler diets still lean on volatile inputs: fishmeal at $1,950/ton, soybean meal at $520/ton, and poultry fat at $1,200/ton. After blending defatted BSFL meal (58–60% protein) and larvae oil (lauric acid-rich), integrators saw ingredient variance shrink and ration resilience improve.
Payback Model
From Ingredient Swap to Complex-Level ROI
| Complex Output | BSFL Volume Needed | Monthly Savings (Feed) | Monthly Savings (Performance) | Payback on Contracts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2M birds/week | 2,900 tons meal + 365 tons oil | $565,000 | $210,000 | 2.8 months |
| 600k birds/week | 1,420 tons meal + 180 tons oil | $286,000 | $88,000 | 3.1 months |
| 280k birds/week (air-chilled) | 650 tons meal + 84 tons oil | $118,000 | $36,000 | 3.6 months |
These models assume FOB BSFL meal pricing at $1,350/ton and larvae oil at $1,100/ton with quarterly COA verification. Add a 2% logistics buffer for refrigerated lanes. Use our downloadable worksheet (in the Guides hub) to plug in your own integrator costs.
Operational Benefits
Beyond the Spreadsheet
Shelf-Stable Inventory
BSFL meal stays flowable for 12 months, letting feed mills hold four weeks of safety stock versus two for fishmeal.
Microbiome & Immunity Boost
Lauric and capric acids suppress Clostridium perfringens, cutting coccidiostat spend by ~7% in our study cohort.
Scope 3 Emission Cuts
Diverting 75 tons/day of food waste into larvae meal offsets 18,400 MT CO2e annually for ESG reporting.
Common questions
Two questions we hear a lot
What inclusion rate should I test first?
Start small and measure. Many teams begin around 5–10% in a controlled trial, then adjust based on species, life stage, and the ingredient form (full-fat vs. defatted, meal quality, and amino acid balance). Track palatability, growth, and basic health markers before scaling up.
Can I contract pricing for a longer term?
Sometimes. Longer-term pricing depends on volume, specs, packaging, and freight. The best next step is to share your target monthly volume and delivery region so we can outline a realistic contract structure and what can (and can’t) stay fixed.
Download the Poultry Payback Worksheet
The worksheet mirrors the tables above and lets you plug in your ingredient pricing, live weight targets, and contract terms. Access it through the gated Waste-to-Value Guides hub to keep benchmarking centralized.