Evaluation of Insect-Based Proteins as Sustainable Alternatives to Soybean Meal: Effects on Bone Biomechanics in Female Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus)*

Grzegorz Rytlewski; Cezary Osiak-Wicha; Ewa Tomaszewska; Marian Flis; Piotr Czyżowski; Hubert Jaworski; Michał Świetlicki; Marcin B. Arciszewski

doi:10.2478/aoas-2025-0083

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Evaluation of Insect-Based Proteins as Sustainable Alternatives to Soybean Meal: Effects on Bone Biomechanics in Female Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus)*

Annals of Animal Science

Volume 26 (2026): Issue 2 (April 2026)

By: Grzegorz Rytlewski, Cezary Osiak-Wicha, Ewa Tomaszewska, Marian Flis, Piotr Czyżowski, Hubert Jaworski, Michał Świetlicki and Marcin B. Arciszewski

Open Access

|Apr 2026

Figures & Tables

Analysis of differences in production performance parameters of female common pheasant at 16 weeks of age between the control group (group I), group II (E1-50% insect meal, E1-100% dried larvae) and group III (E2-50% insect meal, E2-100% dried larvae): (A) body weight at 4 weeks age, (B) body weight at 8 weeks of age, (C) final body weight at 16 weeks of age, (D) daily body weight gain, (E) absolute body weight gain at 16 weeks of age, (F) daily feed intake, (G) feed conversion ratio. Asterisks (*) indicate significant differences between groups (*P<0.05, **P<0.01)

Analysis of differences in femur and tibia bone properties of female common pheasant at 16 weeks of age between the control group (group I), group II (E1-50% insect meal, E1-100% dried larvae) and group III (E2-50% insect meal, E2-100% dried larvae):(A) bone weight, (B) relative bone weight, (C) bone length, (D) bone mineral density, (E) bone mineral content, (F) Seedor index, (G) sternal crest height to sternum length ratio. Asterisks (*) indicate significant differences between groups (*P<0.05, **P<0.01)

Analysis of differences in femur and tibia geometrical properties of female common pheasant at 16 weeks of age between the control group (group I), group II (E1-50% insect meal, E1-100% dried larvae) and group III (E2-50% insect meal, E2-100% dried larvae): (A) transversal outer diameter, (B) transversal inner diameter, (C) anteroposterior outer diameter, (D) anteroposterior inner diameter, (E) mid-diaphysis cross-sectional area, (F) mean relative wall thickness, (G) cortical index, (H) cross-sectional moment of inertia. Asterisks (*) indicate significant differences between groups (*P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001)

Analysis of differences in femur and tibia mechanical properties of female common pheasant at 16 weeks of age between the control group (group I), group II (E1-50% insect meal, E1-100% dried larvae) and group III (E2-50% insect meal, E2-100% dried larvae): (A) yield force, (B) elastic work, (C) breaking force, (D) breaking work, (E) stiffness. Asterisks (*) indicate significant differences between groups (*P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001)

Analysis of differences in femur and tibia bone material properties of female common pheasant at 16 weeks of age between the control group (group I), group II (E1-50% insect meal, E1-100% dried larvae) and group III (E2-50% insect meal, E2-100% dried larvae): (A) yield strain, (B) yield stress, (C) breaking strain, (D) breaking stress, (E) Young’s modulus. Asterisks (*) indicate significant differences between groups (*P<0.05)

Composition and nutrient analysis of experimental diets (g/kg)

Ingredient	Group I (control)	Group II	Group III
Wheat meal	280	295	310
Wheat bran	100	100	100
Corn meal	150	150	150
Sorghum meal	100	100	100
Dried greens	50	50	50
Soybean meal (extract)	140	70	0
Sunflower cake	100	100	100
Insect meal/larvae	0	60	120
Soy oil	10	5	0
Mineral-vitamin premix¹	20	20	20
Limestone	50	50	50
Nutrient composition
Crude protein	175	176	178
Crude fat	15	12	10
Crude fiber	100	100	100
Ash	45	46	46
Calcium	35	35	35
Total phosphorus	5.5	5.4	5.3
Chitin	0	3.9	7.8
Lysine	3.88	3.75	3.63
Methionine	0.86	0.95	1.05
Threonine	2.40	2.52	2.64
Tryptophan	0.80	0.66	0.52
Valine	2.58	2.74	2.90
Arginine	4.68	3.95	3.23
Metabolizable energy² (MJ/kg)	11.43	11.45	11.47

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2025-0083 | Journal eISSN: 2300-8733 | Journal ISSN: 1642-3402

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Language: English

Page range: 583 - 593

Submitted on: Apr 7, 2025

Accepted on: Jul 21, 2025

Published on: Apr 15, 2026

Published by: National Research Institute of Animal Production

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: Volume open

Keywords:

Related subjects:

Zoology,

© 2026 Grzegorz Rytlewski, Cezary Osiak-Wicha, Ewa Tomaszewska, Marian Flis, Piotr Czyżowski, Hubert Jaworski, Michał Świetlicki, Marcin B. Arciszewski, published by National Research Institute of Animal Production
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 26 (2026): Issue 2 (April 2026)

Evaluation of Insect-Based Proteins as Sustainable Alternatives to Soybean Meal: Effects on Bone Biomechanics in Female Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus)*

Figures & Tables

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Figure 4.

Figure 5.

Composition and nutrient analysis of experimental diets (g/kg)

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