With the recent approval of black soldier fly larvae for use in adult dog foods, insect protein options bear additional consideration. | (TARAPONG PATTAMACHAIYANT | iStock.com)
Wild canids like the wolf voluntarily eat insects as a small portion of their diet. Further, most pet owners have seen their dog eat a cicada or chomp down a fly, and one can’t miss the delight of their cat tormenting and then eating a spider. So, the idea of insects in pet diets is not all that far-fetched. Today, what is being evaluated is a more commercial production of insects as an alternative biomass to conventional proteins from animal and plant sources. The long-term need is to augment conventional proteins as supply continues to tighten with global population growth. This is something we need to embrace for sustainability of pet food.
