Black Soldier Fly (BSF) based cat and dog food (homemade recipe)
Channel: Mia Schmallenbach
Date: 18/12/2020

((((((ATTENTION: New updated video coming soon with important rectifications: optimised recipe with only 52g of larvae per dose, no sweet potato (cats cannot in fact metabolise the beta carotene into vit A), and addition of small amount of cod liver oil for cats to compensate for the vit A)))))))

Can we, at home, empower ourselves in terms of protein production from our organic waste, and prepare a balanced recipe for cats and dogs? And even if it is possible, will our companions want it? Here is the experiment we conducted.

Below is the detailed information:

Ingredients:
Daily dose 300g: 100g of fresh or frozen larvae, 1 egg (50g), 50g spinach, 50g carrots, 30g grilled or sprouted pumpkin seeds, 20g sweet potato (option: replace with carrot for dogs), 210 mg Iodized Salt, 1000 mg of synthetic taurine.

Dosage:
This dose of 300 g is the recommended daily dose of pâté for an adult cat. For dogs, the dose must be adapted according to weight as follows: 300 g for small dogs weighing 2 kg; x 1.5 up to 4 kg;
x 2.5 for 5 to 8 kg; x 4.5 for dogs from 9 to 125 kg; x 6.5 for 20 to 30 kg.

Gradual introduction:
For cats, it sometimes takes 3 weeks for the transition. First, offer small amounts in a separate bowl. If your cat is a picky eater, it may take 2 to 3 weeks for your cat to agree to touch it. Once your cat eats the new diet, start by mixing 1/4 of the larvae diet into 3/4 of the previous diet for 2 to 4 days. Then go half, half for 2-4 days and finally 3/4, 1/4 for the final 3-5 days before making the full transition.

The advantage of the larva diet is that it comes in a pate, and picky cats usually prefer pate.

For dogs, the abrupt change in diet can cause gastrointestinal disturbances such as vomiting, diarrhea, and decreased appetite. It is wise to proceed gradually with a 5-7 day transition:
Day 1: 25% larval diet and 75% of the old diet.
Day 3: 50% larvae diet and 50% of the old diet.
Day 5: 75% larvae diet and 25% of the old diet.
Day 7: 100% larvae diet.


THE CHOICES IN THE FORMULATION:
• BSF larvae 33 g dry matter per day, or 100 g frozen or fresh, if produced by the citizen.
• The choice of egg mainly for Vit B12, Methionine, Linoleic acid, Vit D, Choline and Phosphorus.
• The choice of sweet potato is for the supply of vitamin A
• The choice of pumpkin seeds is to increase the intake of Phosphorus, Methionine and Arginine. The seeds must be shelled and roasted or sprouted for the phytic acid (anti-nutrient) to release the phosphorus. It contributes many other benefits to maintain the health of the dog.
• The choice of carrot and spinach is for fiber, as well as some vitamins and minerals.
• The addition of synthetic taurine frees up the need for meat, and commercial products are already using this strategy. The dose should be tripled to ensure adequate absorption.
• Iodized salt helps increase iodine levels.

The diet is designed to be made by the citizen at home, and therefore takes into account fresh or frozen ingredients, as well as the choice of dehydrated or fresh / frozen larvae from larvae production at home based on a fattening composed of kitchen vegetable scraps .
So based on the nutritional requirement of 100 grams of dry matter, this results in a pate design of 300 grams.

Nutrients:

Total g / bag: 300 g of paté; Crude protein 21.8%; Arginine 773.1 mg; Histidine 298.2 mg; Isoleucine: 366.5 mg; Leucine 627.0 mg; Lysine 435.3 mg; Methionine 285.8 mg; Methionine - cystine 1.9 mg; Cystine 87.6 mg; Phenylalanine 391.4 mg; Phenylalanine - tyrosine 6.8 mg; Threonine 314.2 mg; Tryptophan 114.8 mg; Valine 472.7 mg; Taurine 1000 mg; Alanine 449.3 mg; Aspartic acid 776.9 mg; Glutamic acid 1145.9 mg; Proline 378.1 mg; Serine 428.1 mg; Tyrosine 352.5 mg; Glycine 482.1 mg;

Crude fat 11.2%; Linoleic acid 5.2 g; Alpha-Linoleic acid 0.3 g; Arachidonic Acid 21.3 g; Eicosapentaenoic acid + Docosahexaenoic 0 g
Minerals: Ca 474.5 mg; P 201.9 mg; K 249.1 mg; Na 65.6 mg; Cl 41.1 mg; Mg 91.7 mg; Fe 10.3 mg; Cu 0.2 mg; Mn 3.0 mg; Zn 1.8 mg; I 0.1 mg; S 1.8 mg;

Vitamins and others: Vit A 4837.2 IU; Retinol 20 mcg; Beta Carotene 2.6 mg; Lutein + Zeaxanthin 1.9 mg; Vit D 46.1 IU; Vit E 0.8 mg; Vit B1 Thiamine 0.1 mg; Vit B2 Riboflavin 0.1 mg; Vit B3 Niacin 0.7mg; Vit B5 Pantothenic acid 0.4 mg; Vit B6 Pyroxidine 0.1 mg; Vit B9 Folic acid 0.4 mcg; Vit B12 Cyanocobalamin 0.6 mcg; Choline 48.2 mg; Vit K 0.1 mg; Biotin 10 mcg; Vit C 3.3 mg

Calculations based on Ciqual, Feedtables, and USDA databases, as well as DOI: 10.1002 / jsfa.8081 for nutritional values ​​of larvae fed on a vegetable diet.