EP4188078A1 - Process and plant for breeding hearth crickets, acheta domesticus - Google Patents

Process and plant for breeding hearth crickets, acheta domesticus

Info

Publication number
EP4188078A1
EP4188078A1 EP21743594.0A EP21743594A EP4188078A1 EP 4188078 A1 EP4188078 A1 EP 4188078A1 EP 21743594 A EP21743594 A EP 21743594A EP 4188078 A1 EP4188078 A1 EP 4188078A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
crickets
development
weaning
varying
dispensers
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP21743594.0A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Ivan ALBANO
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Agricola Italian Cricket Farm Srl Soc
Original Assignee
Agricola Italian Cricket Farm Srl Soc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from IT102020000018154A external-priority patent/IT202000018154A1/en
Application filed by Agricola Italian Cricket Farm Srl Soc filed Critical Agricola Italian Cricket Farm Srl Soc
Publication of EP4188078A1 publication Critical patent/EP4188078A1/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01KANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K67/00Rearing or breeding animals, not otherwise provided for; New or modified breeds of animals
    • A01K67/033Rearing or breeding invertebrates; New breeds of invertebrates

Definitions

  • the present invention refers to a process and a plant for breeding hearth crickets, Acheta domesticus. At present, the public are not aware of processes and plants that allow for a functional and targeted breeding of insects called "hearth crickets ".
  • This type of insect once reared according to the present invention, can be used to feed domestic, farm, and human animals.
  • Crickets need 0.05% water than a cattle to produce the same amount of protein. Crickets are rich in vitamins, and contain the amount of B12 in salmon. In addition, they are rich in phosphorus, iron and potassium, and have 15% more iron than spinach.
  • Cricket flour is made from 100% dried crickets ground into a high protein powder.
  • Crickets have an extraordinary protein value of 69%: unlike plant proteins, they are high quality complete proteins, containing all the essential amino acids.
  • Crickets are a rich source of fibre and minerals, such as calcium and iron (over twice as iron as spinach), vitamin B12 (a vitamin deficient in vegetarian and vegan diets) and omega-3 fatty acids.
  • crickets will help mitigate pollution.
  • livestock occupies 60% of the world's agricultural land and generates 20% of all greenhouse gases on the planet. Otherwise, insect farming would produce less greenhouse gases: 10 times less methane, 300 times less nitrous oxide.
  • Object of the present invention is therefore providing a process and a plant for breeding hearth crickets, Acheta domesticus, which allow the above benefits to be achieved in a natural, effective, healthy, simple, immediate and inexpensive way, following the normal evolution cycle of crickets and keeping all their properties and characteristics unaltered.
  • Figure 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of a first plant incubation station of the plant according to the present invention
  • Figure 2 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of a second weaning station of the plant according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a top view of the second station of the plant of Figure 2;
  • Figure 4 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a third adult development station of the plant according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a top view of the third station of the plant of Figure 4.
  • the entire breeding process of the hearth cricket, Acheta domestiucus, is divided into three sub-processes, determined by three stations, connected to each other by manual operations. The subdivision into several sub-processes is necessary to respond to the different stages of development of A. domesticus.
  • the first step of the process is the incubation, carried out at a variable temperature between 29 °C and 34 °C, and a relative humidity variable between 60% and 90%, and carried out through the incubation station illustrated in Figure 1.
  • This station consists of an incubation structure A1 in which containers A2 with a rectangular base are placed, containing in turn soil and the eggs of A. domesticus.
  • the eggs hatch and the newborn crickets due to migration, attraction of humidity and force of gravity, fall into collection tanks A3 located at the base of the incubation structure A1.
  • the second step of the process is weaning, carried out at a temperature varying between 27 °C and 32 °C, and a relative humidity varying between 45% and 70%, and carried out through the weaning station illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.
  • This station consists of a weaning structure B1 consisting of a shelf, inside which there are weaning tanks B2. The nymphs taken from the collection tanks A3 are transferred to the latter.
  • the weaning tanks B2 are equipped with housing structures B3 designed to increase the housing surfaces of insects, and promote their well-being, simulating the optimal environment for their proliferating survival.
  • the third step of the process is the development of adult crickets, carried out at a variable temperature between 25 °C and 30 °C, and a variable relative humidity between 35% and 55%, and carried out through the cricket development station into adults shown in Figures 4 and 5.
  • This station consists of a development structure Cl consisting of breeding tanks, where the nymphs taken from the weaning facility B1 are transferred.
  • This Cl development structure has a volume ranging from 2 to 4 square meters and a minimum height of 60 cm, to prevent the escape of insects.
  • crickets reach sexual maturity, passing from the nymph stage to the adult stage.
  • the preferably rectangular containers A2 containing the soil are placed in the development structure Cl. Inside the A2 containers, female crickets will lay eggs.
  • the second weaning step could also be carried out using, instead of the weaning structure Bl, a development structure Cl identical in all respects to the one indicated above, obviously subjected to temperature and humidity values suitable for weaning instead of developing .

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Animal Husbandry (AREA)
  • Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
  • Feed For Specific Animals (AREA)

Abstract

A process and a plant for breeding hearth crickets,Acheta domesticus,, are described; the process includes the following steps: incubating cricket eggs, carried out at a temperature varying between 29 °C and 34 °C, and a relative humidity varying between 60% and 90%; weaning nymph crickets, carried out at a temperature varying between 27 °C and 32 °C, and a relative humidity varying between 45% and 70%; and developing adult crickets, carried out at a temperature varying between 25 °C and 30 °C, and a relative humidity varying between 35% and 55%. The plant comprises fixture and structures adapted to perform the above process.

Description

ACHETA DOMESTICUS
The present invention refers to a process and a plant for breeding hearth crickets, Acheta domesticus. At present, the public are not aware of processes and plants that allow for a functional and targeted breeding of insects called "hearth crickets ".
This type of insect, once reared according to the present invention, can be used to feed domestic, farm, and human animals.
This process and this plant make it possible to develop on an industrial scale what in the near future will have to be considered the most eco- sustainable protein source on the planet, as most of the world-renowned experts now claim.
Compared to current food, one third of the world's land is used to produce beef. On average, 200 square meters of surface are used to produce 1 kg of beef. For insects, only 15 square meters are needed for the same amount. Crickets need 0.05% water than a cattle to produce the same amount of protein. Crickets are rich in vitamins, and contain the amount of B12 in salmon. In addition, they are rich in phosphorus, iron and potassium, and have 15% more iron than spinach.
As for the numbers achievable with crickets: 150 litres of water are needed to produce 1 kg of protein; 80 is the production efficiency, or edible percentage of the animal; 1 kg of feed is necessary to obtain a weight gain of 1 kg of the animal; and 2 square meters of soil are needed to obtain 1 kg of protein.
Cricket flour is made from 100% dried crickets ground into a high protein powder.
Crickets have an extraordinary protein value of 69%: unlike plant proteins, they are high quality complete proteins, containing all the essential amino acids.
Crickets are a rich source of fibre and minerals, such as calcium and iron (over twice as iron as spinach), vitamin B12 (a vitamin deficient in vegetarian and vegan diets) and omega-3 fatty acids.
In addition, the consumption of crickets will help mitigate pollution. As experts in the field point out, livestock occupies 60% of the world's agricultural land and generates 20% of all greenhouse gases on the planet. Otherwise, insect farming would produce less greenhouse gases: 10 times less methane, 300 times less nitrous oxide.
Furthermore, by exploiting crickets and insects, a protein source is obtained to feed weights and farmed chickens.
Object of the present invention is therefore providing a process and a plant for breeding hearth crickets, Acheta domesticus, which allow the above benefits to be achieved in a natural, effective, healthy, simple, immediate and inexpensive way, following the normal evolution cycle of crickets and keeping all their properties and characteristics unaltered.
The aforementioned and other objects and advantages of the invention, which will emerge from the following description, are achieved with a process and a plant for breeding hearth crickets, Acheta domesticus, such as those described in the respective independent claims. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variants of the present invention form the subject of the dependent claims. It is understood that all attached claims form an integral part of the present description.
The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of a first plant incubation station of the plant according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of a second weaning station of the plant according to the present invention;
- Figure 3 is a top view of the second station of the plant of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a third adult development station of the plant according to the present invention; and
- Figure 5 is a top view of the third station of the plant of Figure 4.
With reference to the Figures, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated and described. It will be immediately obvious that innumerable variations and modifications (for example relating to shape, dimensions, various colours and parts with equivalent functionality) can be made to the described description without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the attached claims.
The Figures represent a series of currently preferred equipment for carrying out the process and plant of the present invention. It is clear that the procedure and the plant could also be carried out using equipment other than those described and illustrated.
The entire breeding process of the hearth cricket, Acheta domestiucus, is divided into three sub-processes, determined by three stations, connected to each other by manual operations. The subdivision into several sub-processes is necessary to respond to the different stages of development of A. domesticus.
The first step of the process is the incubation, carried out at a variable temperature between 29 °C and 34 °C, and a relative humidity variable between 60% and 90%, and carried out through the incubation station illustrated in Figure 1.
This station consists of an incubation structure A1 in which containers A2 with a rectangular base are placed, containing in turn soil and the eggs of A. domesticus.
The eggs hatch and the newborn crickets (called nymphs), due to migration, attraction of humidity and force of gravity, fall into collection tanks A3 located at the base of the incubation structure A1.
The second step of the process is weaning, carried out at a temperature varying between 27 °C and 32 °C, and a relative humidity varying between 45% and 70%, and carried out through the weaning station illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.
This station consists of a weaning structure B1 consisting of a shelf, inside which there are weaning tanks B2. The nymphs taken from the collection tanks A3 are transferred to the latter. The weaning tanks B2 are equipped with housing structures B3 designed to increase the housing surfaces of insects, and promote their well-being, simulating the optimal environment for their proliferating survival.
In the B1 weaning facility, there are also B4 containers in which food and moisturizing supplements are placed. The third step of the process is the development of adult crickets, carried out at a variable temperature between 25 °C and 30 °C, and a variable relative humidity between 35% and 55%, and carried out through the cricket development station into adults shown in Figures 4 and 5.
This station consists of a development structure Cl consisting of breeding tanks, where the nymphs taken from the weaning facility B1 are transferred. This Cl development structure has a volume ranging from 2 to 4 square meters and a minimum height of 60 cm, to prevent the escape of insects.
Within the development structure Cl, the following are positioned:
- a C2 cardboard structure, consisting of a series of riverbeds a plurality of C3 water dispensers and supplements, to guarantee the water supply
- a plurality of C4 dispensers for storing the feed.
In this Cl developmental structure, crickets reach sexual maturity, passing from the nymph stage to the adult stage. To allow the reproduction of insects, and thus close the breeding cycle, the preferably rectangular containers A2 containing the soil are placed in the development structure Cl. Inside the A2 containers, female crickets will lay eggs.
As an alternative, the second weaning step could also be carried out using, instead of the weaning structure Bl, a development structure Cl identical in all respects to the one indicated above, obviously subjected to temperature and humidity values suitable for weaning instead of developing .
With this solution, a manual movement of the crickets from the weaning step to the development step in two different structures (Bl and Cl) is saved, while in this case only the Cl structure can be simply moved (without transferring) between the two weaning and development environments at different temperatures and humidity.
Some preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above: obviously, numerous variations and modifications, functionally equivalent to the previous ones, which fall within the scope of the invention as highlighted in the attached claims, will be immediately apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. Process for breeding hearth crickets, Acheta domesticus, the process including the following steps: incubating cricket eggs, carried out at a temperature varying between 29 °C and 34 °C, and a relative humidity varying between 60% and 90%; weaning nymph crickets, carried out at a temperature varying between 27 °C and 32 °C, and a relative humidity varying between 45% and 70%; and
- developing adult crickets, carried out at a temperature varying between 25 °C and 30 °C, and a relative humidity varying between 35% and 55%.
2. Process according to claim 1, wherein the incubation step comprises the sub-steps of:
- placing the eggs in an environment consisting of soil; opening the hatched eggs, after which the newborn crickets, nymphs, due to migration, attraction of humidity and force of gravity, fall and are collected.
3. Process according to claim 2, wherein the weaning step comprises the sub-steps of: transferring the nymphs to a weaning environment; increasing in the housing surface a number of insects to promote their well-being, simulating the optimal environment for their proliferating survival; and feeding crickets with food and moisturizing supplements.
4. Process according to claim 3, wherein the development step of the adult crickets comprises the sub-steps of:
- transferring the weaned crickets in a closed development environment, having a variable volume between 2 and 4 square meters and a minimum height of 60 cm, to prevent the escape of insects; feeding the crickets with water and supplements, to ensure the water supply, and with feed;
- at the end of the development of the adult crickets, female crickets laying eggs in the same development environment.
5. Plant for breeding hearth crickets, Acheta domesticus, the plant including the following stations:
- a station (Al, A2, A3, A4) for the incubation of cricket eggs, operating at a temperature varying between 29 °C and 34 °C, and a relative humidity varying between 60% and 90%; a weaning station (Bl, B2, B3, B4) for nymph crickets, operating at a temperature varying between 27 °C and 32 °C, and a relative humidity varying between 45% and 70%; and
- a station (Cl, C2, C3, C4) for the development of adult crickets, operating at a temperature varying between 25 °C and 30 °C, and a relative humidity varying between 35% and 55%. characterized in that: the incubation station includes:
- an incubation structure (Al) in which containers (A2) with a rectangular base are placed, containing in turn soil and eggs of A. domesticus; and
- collection tanks (A3) located at the base of the structure (Al) into which the newborn crickets, called nymphs, fall once their eggs have hatched, due to migration, attraction of humidity and force of gravity; the weaning station includes:
- a weaning structure (Bl) consisting of shelves, inside which there are weaning tanks (B2) designed to receive the nymphs taken from the collection tanks (A3); and housing structures (B3) designed to increase the housing surfaces of insects, and promote their well-being, simulating the optimal environment for their proliferating survival, said housing structures (B3) being placed inside said weaning tanks (B2); and
- containers (B4) in which food and moisturizing supplements are placed, said containers (B4) being placed inside said weaning tanks (B2); the adult cricket development station includes: a development structure (Cl) consisting of breeding tanks, where the nymphs taken from the weaning facility (Bl) are transferred, said development structure (Cl) having a base ranging from 2 to 4 square meters and a minimum height 60 cm, to prevent the escape of insects; a cardboard structure (C2), consisting of a series of beds, positioned inside the development structure (Cl); a plurality of water dispensers (C3) and supplements, to ensure water supply, the dispensers (C3) being positioned within the development structure (Cl); a plurality of dispensers (C4) for storing the feed, the dispensers (C4) being positioned inside the development structure (Cl); and
- a plurality of containers (A2) positioned inside the development structure (Cl) and designed to allow the reproduction of insects, and thus close the breeding cycle, inside the containers (A2), the female crickets laying eggs; and the weaning station includes: a development structure (Cl) consisting of breeding tanks, where the nymphs taken from the collection tanks (A3) are transferred, said development structure (Cl) having a volume ranging from 2 to 4 square meters and a minimum height 60 cm, to prevent the escape of insects; a cardboard structure (C2), consisting of a series of channels, positioned inside the development structure (Cl); a plurality of water dispensers (C3) and supplements, to ensure water supply, the dispensers (C3) being positioned within the development structure (Cl); and
- a plurality of dispensers (C4) for storing the feed, the dispensers (C4) being positioned inside the development structure (Cl).
EP21743594.0A 2020-07-27 2021-06-30 Process and plant for breeding hearth crickets, acheta domesticus Pending EP4188078A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT202000018157 2020-07-27
IT102020000018154A IT202000018154A1 (en) 2020-07-27 2020-07-27 PROCEDURE FOR THE BREEDING OF THE FIREBOX CRICKET, ACHETA DOMESTICUS
PCT/IT2021/050203 WO2022024151A1 (en) 2020-07-27 2021-06-30 Process and plant for breeding hearth crickets, acheta domesticus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4188078A1 true EP4188078A1 (en) 2023-06-07

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EP21743594.0A Pending EP4188078A1 (en) 2020-07-27 2021-06-30 Process and plant for breeding hearth crickets, acheta domesticus

Country Status (2)

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EP (1) EP4188078A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2022024151A1 (en)

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2024056355A1 (en) * 2022-09-14 2024-03-21 Skov A/S An insect rearing/breeding housing

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL2015124B1 (en) * 2015-07-09 2017-02-01 Proti-Farm R & D B V Insect breeding facility and method for the industrial scale production of mature larvae from egg-laying mother beetles.
US10881081B2 (en) * 2016-06-20 2021-01-05 Aspire Food Group Ltd Autonomous feed delivery platform for insects
KR20200071611A (en) * 2018-12-11 2020-06-19 농업회사법인 주식회사 경포대 허브관광농원 Breeding Method for Cricket, and Food Containing the Cricket Produced Thereby

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