Feed Planet Magazine Issue-Sayı: 43 October-Ekim 2022

44 FEED PLANET / OCTOBER 2022 • EKİM 2022 large-scale production with volumes in the 1,000’s of tons of insect larvae per annum. Starting from a small-scale/low-intensity production to becoming a large-scale operation is not a linear process. The approach to producing insects at large-scale is fun- damentally different to small-size farms. At large-scale it is critical that at least three major systems are running in a functional and concerted manner. These systems cov- er: 1) a logistics and automation system for handling the production crates housing the insect larvae; 2) a climate system ensuring uniform and robust climate at all times; and 3) a feed kitchen for mixing and precise delivery of high daily volumes of feed. Apart from the logistics and automation system this is not different from running a successful large farm with other livestock. Like other animal farming, important parameters like feed supply, maintaining production within environmental thresholds and cost-savings through heat recovery also apply. In addition, onsite processing of the larvae into protein meal and oil may also be relevant requiring technology and skills in-house that are very different to conditions within conventional animal farming. Furthermore, as mentioned briefly above, the biologi- cal knowledge with regards to insect farming is also crit- ical and was not widely known or even available initially. Here the engagement of academic stakeholders was key during the early days of the insect sector ensur- ing that know-how became available at sectorial level. Academia supported, and are continuing to do so, the scale-up process with generation of new knowledge to ensure animal performance such as, nutritional require- ments of the various insect species, disease mitigation and description of physiologically optimal environmen- tal conditions. Since the early 2010’s, many academic and applied research institutes have become involved across the major regions globally. Some of the pioneer- ing institutes were e.g., Wageningen University (NL), University of Copenhagen (DK), Danish Technological Institute (DK), EAWAG (CH) and Texas A&M University (US). At present there are a large number of research institutes globally that have become engaged in sup- porting the insect value chain ensuring future innova- tion for the sector. Within the last few years an ecosystem of technol- ogy providers has grown internationally that cover all aspects of the insect value chain from pre-treatment of feeding substrates to processing of insect biomass into protein meal and oil. This foundation is pivotal to ensure a robust and rapid scale-up of the insect farming sec- tor. At Better Insect Solutions, a new brand powered by Big Dutchman, Inno+ and SKOV, we contribute to se- Küçük ölçekli/düşük yoğunluklu bir üretimden büyük ölçekli bir işletmeye dönüşmek doğrusal bir süreç de- ğildir. Büyük ölçekli böcek yetiştirme konusundaki yak- laşım, temelde küçük ölçekli çiftliklerden farklıdır. Büyük ölçekte, en az üç ana sistemin işlevsel ve uyumlu bir şekilde çalışması çok önemli bir esastır. Bu sistemler: 1) böcek larvalarını barındıran üretim kasalarının taşınması için bir lojistik ve otomasyon sistemi; 2) her zaman tek tip ve sağlam iklim şartları sağlayan bir iklim sistemi; ve 3) yüksek günlük yem hacimlerinin karıştırılması ve has- sas bir şekilde verilmesi için bir yem mutfağı. Buradaki durum, lojistik ve otomasyon sisteminin dışında, diğer hayvanlarla başarılı ve büyük bir çiftliği işletmekten farklı değildir. Diğer hayvansal üretim çiftliklerinde olduğu gibi; yem temini, üretimi çevresel eşiklerde tutma ve ısı geri kazanımı yoluyla maliyet tasarrufu gibi önemli paramet- reler burada da geçerlidir. Ayrıca, larvaların yerinde pro- tein küspesi ve yağa dönüştürülecek şekilde işlenmesi COVER STORY • KAPAK DOSYASI