CATDOLL : CATDOLL: Could you tell me whether maggots or earthworms can replace artificial feed?

1. Please tell me, can maggots or earthworms replace artificial feed?

I agree with #2 and #3, and would like to add the following: 1. Maggots and earthworms cannot completely replace complete feeds. Although they are high in protein, they are not nutritionally comprehensive. For eels, fish meal is the best protein source, which is currently irreplaceable. 2. Maggot farming requires a large amount of manure, such as pig manure or chicken manure, especially chicken manure, which is very expensive now. In addition, if you are farming eels in batches, the production control of maggots requires a high level of management. 3. In addition to a large amount of manure (cow manure, sheep manure, etc.), earthworm farming also requires a large amount of space. Earthworms have a long growth cycle and a low yield, so it is more difficult to control the quantity than maggots.

2. Can earthworms be used as feed for quails?

It should be possible. You can try this more often.

However, it is a waste to raise quails with earthworms. The feed for laying quails is actually very simple, just chicken feed plus a little fish meal. Earthworms should be used for other purposes, and their economic value is higher than as feed.

As for the native feed, it is mainly cornmeal, and a little fishmeal is necessary to increase the egg production. In fact, quail breeding is relatively simple, not as complicated as the legend. You can try to raise one or two hundred first, and then raise on a large scale after you are familiar with it.

3. How to breed earthworms and earthworm breeding methods

In the process of earthworm breeding, the fermentation of earthworm feed (poultry manure, distiller's grains, bagasse, leftover food, waste blood and animal offal, etc.) is a key. If the feed is not fermented or fermented incompletely, harmful gases will be produced. If the pH is too high or too low, the earthworms may escape, fail to produce cocoons or even die. Using EM stock solution to ferment the manure can greatly shorten the fermentation time and reduce the odor. After the feed is fermented, the pH value will naturally reach 6.5-7.5. It does not need to be adjusted and can be fed directly. The feed utilization rate is greatly improved, the earthworms produce more cocoons, reproduce faster, and the yield is increased by 2-3 times. The method is as follows:

1. Stacking

Use straw or stalks (it is better to cut them into small pieces) to spread a layer of dry material (10-15 cm thick) first, and then spread manure (4-6 cm thick) on the dry material. Repeat this 3-5 layers, spraying water with a spray bottle for each layer (EM stock solution is added to the manure pile at this time, one ton of manure requires 10 kg of EM and about 100 kg of water) until the water seeps out; if garbage is used, lay one layer of garbage and one layer of manure, with no limit on length and width, and cover it tightly with a film; if 100% manure is used, first dry the manure until it is 50% to 60% dry, then pile it, wet it with EM diluted with water, and cover it tightly with a film.

2. Turning the pile

In seasons with high temperatures, the temperature in the pile will generally rise significantly on the second day, and can rise to 60℃~70℃ in 4-5 days, and then gradually decrease. When the temperature in the pile drops to 40℃ (this process takes 12 days), turn the pile from top to bottom and from both sides to the middle, and add EM diluent. Turn the pile 2-3 times in winter and once in summer.

3. Feeding

After the feed fermentation is completed, it can be used after being opened and watered to dissipate the heat. The top-adding method and side-feeding method are generally used for feeding. The top-adding method is to spread the feed on the original feed that has been eaten by earthworms, and it is done once every 10 to 15 days; the side-feeding method is to take out some of the eaten feed and add new feed on one side, and add the other side next time.

Large-scale earthworm breeding technology

There are great differences between large-scale earthworm farming and small-scale farming, which are mainly reflected in earthworm species selection, purification and rejuvenation, feed preparation, earthworm bed plans, management measures, disease prevention and control, and harvesting.

1. Seed selection

At present, the most suitable variety for large-scale breeding is Daping No. 2. This earthworm is generally 50-70 mm long, with a body cavity diameter of 3-6 mm and an adult weight of 0.45-1.1 grams. The bristles on the body are fine and dense, and the body color is purple-red, but the body color also changes with the changes in feed, water and other conditions. In addition to having a thick body cavity, more meat, a long lifespan, and being able to adapt to high-density breeding, this earthworm also has the advantages of high reproduction rate, strong adaptability, and easy breeding, making it very suitable for large-scale artificial breeding.

2. Feed preparation

1. There are only three types of feed suitable for large-scale breeding: cow dung, pig dung, or cow dung and pig dung added in any proportion.

2. Feed fermentation

Spread cow dung, pig dung, or mixed dung on a flat ground to a thickness of 10-25 cm, and dry them until they are about 50% to 60% dry. Then pile up the dung racks. You can use rectangular or semi-cylindrical piles. Sprinkle 300 to 500 times of "EM" once for each layer (15-20 cm thick) of dung. Repeat this process for 4-7 layers until the water seeps out. If you use garbage, pile it up one layer of garbage and one layer of dung. The length and width are unlimited, and it should be covered with a film. In the season with high temperature, the temperature in the pile will generally rise significantly on the second day, and it can rise to 60-70℃ in 3-4 days, and then gradually decrease. When the temperature of the pile drops to 40℃ (this process takes about 15 days), turn the pile (turn the top to the bottom, turn the sides to the middle, and pile it again, and add "EM"). After the feed is fermented, the pH value is tested. The suitable pH value of earthworm feed is generally required to be 6.5-7.5, but the pH value of many animal and plant wastes is often higher or lower than this value. For example, the pH value of animal excrement is 7.5-9.5. Therefore, the pH value of earthworm feed should be properly adjusted to make it close to neutral to be suitable for earthworm growth.

Methods for preparing and adding nutritious food-promoting substances: Take one cubic meter of base material as an example, take 100 kg of water, add 2 kg of urea, 4 liang of vinegar, 5 g of saccharin, and 4 caps of pineapple essence, mix and dissolve in water, first take 50 kg of water and pour it on the base material, turn the pile and then pour another 50 kg of water on the base material, and it can be used after two days. Add citric acid, essence, and saccharin to the earthworm feed, and prepare the earthworm feed into the sweet fruit flavor that earthworms love the most. From then on, earthworms not only do not escape, are not picky eaters, but also eat more, which greatly accelerates the growth rate and increases the yield.

3. Preparation of earthworm bed

There are two ways to make earthworm beds, one is open-air and the other is indoors. Each earthworm strip is at least 3m long and at most 7m long, with a width of 0.5m to 1.0m. There are two ways to make earthworm beds in the open air, one is to cover the earthworm bed with straw, and the other is to set up a sunshade net above the earthworm bed. There are two ways to make earthworm beds indoors, one is in various houses, and the other is a simple shed covered with asbestos tiles.

4. Free Range

After the earthworm bed is ready, place the fermented feed horizontally on the earthworm bed in a strip of 50 cm wide, with no limit on length and 30 cm intervals. Wet the earthworm bed before placing the earthworm seeds, and then place the earthworm seeds in a place without feed. Add some water after release to facilitate earthworm activity. Avoid placing earthworm seeds after the earthworm bed is full of animal manure to avoid causing the earthworm seeds to die.

5. Daily Management

Earthworms are cold-blooded animals. The environmental temperature not only affects the body temperature and activities of earthworms, but also affects the metabolism, growth, development and reproduction of earthworms. Moreover, the temperature also has a great impact on other living conditions, thus indirectly affecting earthworms. Therefore, temperature is an important ecological factor that directly affects the growth, development and egg-laying of earthworms. Generally speaking, the most suitable temperature for earthworms is about 20-27℃, at which time they can grow, develop and reproduce well. Earthworms do not have special respiratory organs, but use their skin to breathe, so the body of earthworms must be kept moist. If earthworms are placed in a dry environment, their skin will not be able to remain moist after a period of time, and thus they cannot breathe normally. Earthworms will immediately have spasms and will soon die. The water content in earthworms is extremely large, accounting for more than 75% of their body weight. Therefore, preventing water loss is the key to the survival of earthworms. Of course, too wet soil is also not good for the growth and development of earthworms. Since earthworms like to eat fine, rotten, and wet feed, especially they rely on their skin to absorb oxygen dissolved in water to breathe, it is particularly important for earthworms to maintain a certain water supply. Earthworms have a poor ability to resist sudden drying, and the optimum humidity of their breeding environment is 70-75%. The whole process of earthworm breeding requires sufficient fresh air. In order to keep the breeding bed in a loose and breathable state, the following measures can be taken: the thickness of the base material shall not exceed the specified height, and it shall be reduced when necessary; after a period of breeding, the base material can be properly turned over once, and the upper and lower layers of the base material can be turned over and replaced, which can not only make the lower layer of the base material loose and breathable, but also help the upper and lower layers of the base material to have the same humidity. The stocking density of earthworms is closely related to the type of earthworms, the growth period, the breeding environment conditions (such as food, breeding methods and containers), and the technical level of management. In a medium with an area of ​​one square meter and a height of 25 cm, the stocking density is: 15,000 to 20,000 seed earthworms, 80,000 to 100,000 from hatching to half a month old, and 30,000 to 65,000 from half a month to adulthood. Therefore, when breeding earthworms, it is an effective measure to expand the breeding bed in time, adjust the breeding density, and remove the adult earthworms to increase production.

6. Disease prevention and control

1. Feed poisoning

If the earthworms are found to be partially or even completely paralyzed, with yellow or grassy fluids discharged from their backs and large-scale death, it means that the newly added feed contains toxins or toxic gases. At this time, the bed should be thinned quickly, the toxic feed should be removed, the base material of the bed should be loosened, earthworm castings should be added to absorb the toxic gases, and the earthworms should be allowed to sink to the bottom to rest, and they will gradually adapt.

2. Protein poisoning

If you find that the earthworms are partially burnt, one end is atrophied or the other end is swollen and dead, and the surviving earthworms refuse to eat, have a trembling sense of fear, and are obviously emaciated, this is due to protein poisoning caused by improper combination of feed ingredients when adding feed. The protein content of feed ingredients cannot be too high (the manure material cannot exceed the standard when making the base material), because the toxic gases such as ammonia and foul odor produced when the protein feed decomposes can cause protein poisoning of earthworms. After discovering protein poisoning, quickly remove the improper feed, spray clean water, hook and loosen the feed bed or add a buffer zone in order to detoxify.

3. Hypoxia

If you find that the earthworms are dark brown, weak, and slow in movement, this is due to lack of oxygen, which causes earthworm hypoxia. The reasons are as follows: ① The manure is not completely fermented, producing excessive amounts of harmful gases such as ammonia and alkane; ② The environment is too dry or too humid, which blocks the pores of the earthworms' epidermis; ③ The earthworm bed is covered too tightly, and the air is blocked. At this time, the cause should be found out in time and dealt with. For example, remove the base material, continue fermentation, and add a buffer zone. Spray water or drain water to keep the humidity of the base material soil at around 30-40%. Open the door and window for ventilation or uncover the cover when it is warm at noon, and install an exhaust fan. This can solve the problem.

4. Excessive gastric acid

When earthworms are found to have spasmodic nodules, red and swollen annuli, thickened and shortened bodies, and increased mucus secretion, they will crawl in circles on the feeding bed, or burrow under the bed and stop eating and moving, and finally turn white and die. Some sick earthworms have body segments broken before death. This indicates that there is too much starch, carbohydrates or salt in the earthworm feed, which causes acidification through bacterial action, causing the earthworms to have excessive gastric acid. The treatment method is to lift the cover to ventilate the earthworm bed and spray alkaline drugs such as soda water or gypsum powder to neutralize it.

5. Edema

If you find that the earthworms are swollen, dazed, or trying desperately to crawl out, body fluids are coming out of the dorsal holes, and they die of food stagnation, or even cause the cocoons to rupture or the ends of the newly produced cocoons cannot be closed and become infected and moldy. This is because the humidity of the earthworm bed is too high and the pH value of the feed is too high. At this time, the humidity should be reduced and the earthworms that have crawled to the surface should be cleaned into another pool. Add superphosphate powder or vinegar residue or alcohol residue to the original base material to neutralize the pH, and try to feed the earthworms again after a period of time.

The earthworms have spasmodic nodules, become thicker and shorter, and the segments are red and swollen. The body secretion of mucus increases, and the earthworms turn white and die. The reason is that the earthworms have eaten poisonous feed, such as pesticides sprayed near the animal manure pile, polluted water poured on the earthworm bed, fertilizers and pesticides piled in the temporary earthworm rearing place, containers for transporting earthworms have been in contact with toxic substances, and the temporary earthworms are placed on the film without leaking, the feed is too moist, the environment in which the earthworms live is too humid, and the earthworms turn white when the temperature is high, and a few die. If this happens due to poisoning, you can spray water several times to wash away the harmful substances with the water, and you should also frequently add refined feed such as rice bran and bran; if the earthworms are temporarily reared indoors and become sick, you should move them out. If the earthworms turn white due to excessive humidity, you can add fermented dry animal manure or refined feed, mix it with the original moist feed and earthworm manure, and remove the film. If a few of them are found dead, they should be moved into the earthworm bed for rearing to restore the earthworms that can still move.

7. Harvesting and Processing

1. Harvesting earthworms

(1) Downward turning and driving method: Use a multi-toothed rake to loosen the surface of the breeding bed, wait for the earthworms to drill down, and then scrape the earthworm manure on the surface. Repeat the loosening of the bed material and scraping of earthworm manure. Finally, the earthworms are concentrated at the bottom layer, achieving the purpose of collecting adult earthworms. This method is very effective and simple. One person can catch 150 kg of earthworms a day.

(2) Grab by hand (you can wear plastic gloves) or use a customized iron flat-thorned small rake. Shovel out the surface of the earthworm bed where most earthworms have matured and place it on the film. When the pile is more than 50 cm high, turn it over several times with a rake. The earthworms will be stimulated and move downward until they reach the film. Gradually remove the earthworm manure and feed (with egg cocoons) on the surface and spread them on the earthworm bed. Finally, weigh most of the large earthworms collected and keep them temporarily.

During the harvesting process, a small amount of strong and colorful earthworms are set aside from each earthworm bed as breeding earthworms. After mixing, they are cultured in separate beds, with 3-5 kilograms of earthworms being raised in each bed.

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Earthworm breeding technology:

1. Planting seeds

After the decomposed feed is adjusted to the right humidity, spread it along the trench dug in the mulberry garden for 10

cm, and then evenly put in the eggs and young earthworms, and then put 5

cm of feed. The stocking density can be controlled at 2-2.

5

kg/m2 or 1-1.

50,000/m2. In principle, the density can be slightly higher in the early stage and gradually reduced in the later stage.

2. Shade and protection net

After the earthworm seeds are placed, a layer of plastic mosquito net is first covered on the ditch, and then plastic film, foam board and other rainproof materials are placed on it. This can prevent damage from rats, frogs, etc. and can also prevent rain and keep moisture.

3. Adjustment of temperature and humidity

The best temperature for earthworms is 20-27℃, which is the same as the temperature requirement for silkworms.

cm, cover the bait with wheat straw or rice straw, or lay out the dead leaves of mulberry trees and cut mulberry branches in winter, and then cover with plastic cloth for heat preservation and moisture retention; in winter, when heating greenhouses and silkworm rooms, it is necessary to pay attention to the smoke pipe of the stove to prevent maggots from gas poisoning. In addition, the relative humidity of the air should be maintained at 70%-80%, and ventilation should be carried out 3-4 times a day, each time for 30 minutes. In summer, water once a day to cool down in combination with ventilation, and water once a week is generally sufficient.

4. Frequent feeding

Remove earthworm castings, take earthworm cocoons or turn over the breeding beds, and feed twice a month

-3 times, thickness 10 each time

cm, strive to make the manure fresh and breathable, reduce the chance of earthworms getting sick due to excessive accumulation of manure and untimely removal of earthworm manure, and create good conditions for the growth of earthworms.

5. Staged feeding

Earthworm breeding can be divided into seed groups, breeding groups, and production groups. Feed thinly and turn frequently. Feed twice a month, with a thickness of 10

Staged feeding is beneficial to the routine management of maggots, the reproduction and growth of earthworms, and the prevention of diseases and insect pests.