CATDOLL : CATDOLL:How to breed earthworms?

Earthworm farming technology

Artificial breeding of earthworms is a new business. It can be used as protein feed for livestock, poultry, fish and other breeding. Earthworms can be used to improve soil and cultivate soil fertility. They can also process urban organic waste and turn waste into fertilizer to eliminate the pollution of organic waste to the environment. Earthworms have a wide range of uses and have extremely high economic value.

The wood chip mainly takes the red earthworm as an example to introduce its breeding method. The red earthworm belongs to the family Lumbricidae, the genus Eisenia, and belongs to the dung earthworm. The individual is small, generally 90-150 mm long and 3-5 mm wide. When sexually mature, the average fresh weight of each is 0.50 grams. The body color is purple-red, and the tail is light yellow. It likes to swallow various livestock manure and has a strong fertilizer absorption ability, which is suitable for artificial breeding.

The preparation and fermentation of feed are important material foundations and technical keys for earthworm farming. Earthworm feed comes from a wide range of sources. All non-toxic organic substances, such as livestock and poultry feces, various plant organs, fruit peels, bagasse, rotten fruits, etc., can be used as earthworm feed after fermentation and decomposition. The growth and reproduction of earthworms require a variety of nutrients, and the main nutritional indicator is the carbon-nitrogen ratio. Nitrogen feed and carbon feed should not be used alone, and must be matched in appropriate amounts so that the ratio is adjusted between 20 and 30. Earthworms are omnivorous animals and require nutritious organic substances.

Earthworm feed is organic waste that has been fully fermented, such as various livestock manure and straw. Before fermentation, the livestock and poultry manure used must be sprinkled with water and crushed. If you use crop straw or rice straw, it is best to cut it into 6-9 cm long with a hoe, then water it, mix it evenly, make it fully moist, and then pile it on the ground. When piling, the material should be loose and not compacted to facilitate the reproduction of high-temperature bacteria. When piling, water should be sprinkled fully, the water content should be between 50-60%, and the pile height should be about 1 meter.

After the feed is piled up, it can be covered with plastic cloth to achieve the purpose of heat preservation and moisture retention. Earthworms are omnivorous annelids. These organic wastes must be composted and fermented before they can be eaten and used, otherwise a large number of earthworms will die. After 3-4 days, the temperature of the accumulated organic waste can rise to between 50-60℃. The pile can be turned over once every half a month and water can be added. After three or four times of turning over and composting, it can be used.

There are many ways to raise earthworms, and flat-ground composting is the most commonly used method, which can be carried out indoors or outdoors.

Take the fully decomposed feed and put it into the earthworm bed. At this time, the well-decomposed feed is dark brown, odorless, soft and non-sticky. The width of the decomposed compost is 80-100 cm and the length is 2-3 meters. Water the feed to keep the moisture content between 60-70%.

To be on the safe side, before formal breeding, feed identification and testing should be done, and a small amount of earthworms should be placed on the feed bed. If the earthworms are unwilling to enter the feed, it means that the feed is not fully decomposed and needs to continue fermenting.

Production practice has proved that the method of flat composting can breed earthworms in large quantities. 1000-2000 earthworms can be inoculated on each bed. After about 3 months, when the earthworms have reproduced in large quantities, they can be cultured in separate ponds in time. Generally, feed is added once a month to ensure that the earthworms have enough feed so that they can reproduce and grow rapidly.

During the growth and development of earthworms, temperature has a great influence on them. Temperatures below 5℃ or above 30℃ are not conducive to the reproduction and growth of earthworms. When the temperature drops to 7℃, a large number of earthworms will escape. If the temperature is below 0℃, they may freeze to death.

The growth temperature of earthworms is between 5-30℃, and the most suitable temperature is 20℃.

Earthworms are aerobic and breathe through their skin, so the feed in the breeding bed must be sufficient in oxygen. Ventilation and loose feed must be provided to ensure sufficient oxygen so that the earthworms can grow well. Otherwise, their growth and development will be hindered, their body color will become dark and dull, and their movements will be slow.

The growth and reproduction of earthworms are closely related to the pH value of the feed. The general adaptable range is between pH6.0 and 8.0, and the most suitable pH is 7.0. Exceeding this range, the earthworms will become dehydrated, dry, and atrophied, their body color will turn black and purple, they will feel sluggish, and they will escape.

Production practice has proved that flushing the feed with water before feeding can adjust the pH value. Although flushing the feed with water will lose some water-soluble nutrients, it can remove harmful gases, wash away salts and harmful substances, but the pH value of well-fermented feed does not need to be adjusted.

Earthworms like to eat sweet feed, protein, and feed rich in sugar, especially rotten fruits and vegetable leaves, and they also like to eat sweet and sour feed.

The earthworm feed must be watered frequently to keep moist. Feed that is too dry or too wet will affect the growth and development of the earthworms.

Water is the material basis of earthworms' physiological activities and an important factor in regulating body temperature. Earthworms can obtain water and nutrients from feed.

The water content in the body of earthworms is about 85%, and they must have a certain amount of water to grow and develop.

After the earthworms have eaten the feed for about a month, it is necessary to add new nutritious feed in time. The feed is usually added after the feces are cleaned. The earthworms feed from top to bottom, and the feces particles excreted on the surface accumulate for a long time, which is not good for the growth and reproduction of earthworms and should be removed in time. While scraping the earthworm manure, add new feed to the breeding bed.

When most of the earthworms in the bed have reached a weight of 400-500 mg and the density reaches 15,000-20,000 per square meter, the adult earthworms can be harvested. There are many ways to harvest earthworms.

On the surface of the breeding bed, use a multi-tooth rake to loosen the surface bedding. After the earthworms drill down, scrape the surface earthworm castings. Repeat the process of loosening the bedding material and scraping earthworm castings. Finally, the earthworms will be concentrated on the bottom layer, thus achieving the purpose of capturing adult earthworms.

Using earthworm feces on crops can not only improve the soil and the quality of agricultural products, but also increase yields and increase economic benefits.

People should not underestimate the role of tiny earthworms. They are called "environmental guardians" and can handle urban and rural garbage. The feces they excrete are not only high-quality organic fertilizers, but also high-protein feed for livestock, poultry, fish and shrimp. Its development and utilization in food, medicine and other aspects have become more and more popular. Artificial breeding of earthworms and improving recycling can not only reduce the cost of livestock and poultry feed, but also quickly get rid of poverty and become rich. It will play an important role in the development of agricultural production.

Earthworms contain protein, amino acids, vitamin A, B vitamins, etc. They are rich in nutrients and are an ideal live feed for forest frogs.

Small-scale farming can use containers such as pots, boxes, and baskets. Productive farming can be carried out in houses, greenhouses, caves, and caves in layers using breeding boxes for three-dimensional breeding, and in trenches or composting outdoors. The breeding method and scale can be determined based on objective conditions and feed requirements.

No matter which breeding method is used, a single base material and feed cannot be used for breeding. The output of breeding with a single base material and feed is far less than that of using mixed base materials and feed.

Earthworms generally live in the soil 10 to 20 centimeters below the surface. When breeding, place the base material on the material bed. When breeding indoors, you can use a breeding box, and the density is generally controlled at 4,000 to 9,000 per square meter. The breeding box is made into an open box of 60 cm × 40 cm × 25 cm, and the bottom and sides of the box should have drainage and ventilation holes with a diameter of about 1 cm. The thickness of the base material in the box is about 15 cm, which should be adjusted accordingly according to different seasons and temperature and humidity.

When breeding outdoors, you can make 80-100 cm wide ridges on the ground, and dig 20 cm wide and 15 cm deep trenches between the two ridges. Sprinkle a layer of well-rotted base material on the ridges, with a thickness of about 10 cm. The breeding density is generally controlled at 10,000-15,000 per square meter.

During the breeding process, the base material should be kept at an appropriate temperature and humidity. A layer of straw or straw mat can be covered on the base material and water should be sprayed frequently.

Adult earthworms are fed twice a month. New feed is usually added when the last feed is about 75% digested. The thickness of each feed is about 15 cm.

Under high-density breeding conditions, when there are many small earthworms, the old earthworms will move out and escape. The earthworms should be harvested in time.