Earthworms are beneficial links animals that can use various organic wastes as feed to convert into high-quality vermicompost and vermicompost, as well as high-quality feed for fish, poultry and pets. Vermiculture can not only save resources and reduce pollution, but also increase income and improve ecological efficiency. But the details of earthworm breeding are still a lot, I have introduced a general earthworm breeding steps before, but I think that some places are not detailed enough, especially in the feeding link, so this time I will focus on introducing some details in earthworm farming, to give you a reference, deficiencies please leave a message to correct, feel useful can add a concern, Xiaobian will occasionally sort out some relevant information for everyone to discuss together.
1. Seed selection
There are many types of earthworms, and different varieties have different growth characteristics and adaptability. When breeding, varieties with fast growth and development, strong reproductive ability, wide adaptability, long life span and easy domestication management should be selected as breeding objects. At present, the relatively excellent earthworm varieties are Daping No. 2, North Star No. 2, etc., which are obtained by artificial domestication of Chizi Aisheng worm, and other excellent varieties include ringworm, Aisheng worm, Dula worm and so on.
2. Choose a venue
According to the growth requirements and living habits of the selected varieties, choose a place close to the pig farm or chicken farm, warm and humid, flat terrain, abundant natural food, lush plants, convenient access to water sources, secluded and pollution-free as the breeding site. In addition, it is also required that the breeding site is close to the natural environment, rich in saprous plants, soft soil, can be irrigated and drained, and has sufficient sunlight (but cannot be exposed to direct sunlight).
Third, the production of base material
The base material is the material material for earthworms to inhabit, and it is also the food source of earthworms, and the quality of the base material plays a decisive role in the successful breeding of earthworms. The base material can generally be mixed with pig manure, straw or melon fruit, which requires less density and pressure, higher water content, better water retention and strong air permeability. When making the base, first prepare 40% forage, 60% fresh pig manure, then add a certain amount of brown sugar and EM bacteria fermentation broth, and then water and mix well, so that the water content of the base material is between 55-70%. The base material cannot be compacted, and the height should be about 1 meter, it needs to be kept loose, and finally covered with a film for sealing, and then after about 20 days of anaerobic fermentation.
4. Establish breeding beds
Earthworm breeding beds generally need to be established in a flat, soft terrain without large loam, and where both irrigation and drainage can be carried out. Before establishing the breeding bed, the ground should be leveled in advance, and then the fermented base material should be evenly spread on the ground, with a thickness of about 10 cm and a width of about 1 meter. After the base material is laid, the earthworm seeds are evenly sprinkled on it, under normal circumstances, 0.25-0.4 kg of earthworm seeds can be put per square meter, if it is summer, the stocking density can be appropriately reduced, and the stocking density can be appropriately increased in winter. After laying the earthworms, lay another layer of base material on top of the earthworms, and cover the base with a layer of straw to keep warm and moisturize. After laying, pour an appropriate amount of water on the base, and then check it after 1 day, if earthworms escape, atrophy, swelling, death and other phenomena, the cause should be found out in time (usually because the base material is not well fermented, and the fermentation can be re-performed). The gap between the breeding beds is required to reach about 1 meter, which is convenient for feeding and management.
5. Feeding management
- 1. Temperature and humidity and PH value
(1) The growth and development of earthworms will be affected by temperature and humidity, under normal circumstances, the growth temperature of earthworms is 5-30 °C, the suitable temperature is 20 °C, when the temperature is lower than 5 °C or higher than 30 °C, it is not conducive to their growth. When the temperature is below 0 ° C, earthworms will freeze to death; When the temperature exceeds 32 ° C, the earthworm stops growing, and when it reaches above 40 ° C, the earthworm dies.
(2) The water content suitable for the growth and development of earthworms is 60-70%, and the water content during the incubation period is 56-66%. Too low moisture can cause earthworms to dry, lack of oxygen, and death; Too much moisture can cause mold, deterioration, toxic gases, and disease in the base.
(3) The growth and reproduction of earthworms is also closely related to the PH value, and under normal circumstances, it is required to keep the PH value of the growth environment and base material at 6-8, and the more suitable PH value is 7. Too low or too high a pH value will affect the digestion, absorption and metabolic function of earthworms.
- 2. Feeding
(1) Under normal circumstances, it only takes about 20 days for earthworms to convert pig manure into vermicompost, so timely replenishment is required. When replenishing, new ingredients can be covered on the basis of raw materials, and the amount of new materials added should be determined according to the amount of earthworms. At the same time, the new material should be laid evenly and covered with straw, and then it should be watered frequently to moisturize.
(2) The type and quality of feed is also very important, should choose feed rich in organic matter, trace elements and vitamins and other nutrients, such as pig manure, straw, melons and fruits, vegetable leaves, kitchen waste, etc., feed is required to be fresh, no peculiar smell, no pollution, avoid the use of feed containing salt, spicy, acid and other irritating substances, so as not to harm the skin and digestive tract of earthworms.
- 3. Watering
(1) Watering is an important measure to maintain the humidity and temperature of the base material, and it is also a necessary condition to promote the growth and reproduction of earthworms. The number and amount of watering should be determined according to the season, climate and the degree of dryness and wetness of the base material, generally watering once a day or every other day, the water quality can not be polluted, the water flow should not be too large, generally to water through, so that the upper and lower layers of materials can be connected.
(2) The suitable time for watering is usually the morning or evening when the temperature is low. In summer, attention should be paid to preventing the escape or death of earthworms caused by high temperature, and the frequency and amount of watering can be appropriately increased to reduce the temperature of the base material. In winter, attention should be paid to preventing frostbite or freezing death of earthworms caused by low temperature, and the frequency and amount of watering can be appropriately reduced, and the temperature of the base material can be increased.
- 4. Management of breeding beds
(1) The breeding bed should not be mixed with other debris, and at the same time, it should be loosened regularly to ensure the circulation of air and the survival rate of young worms. Loosening should be gentle to avoid harming earthworms and oocysts, and can be done with tools such as iron rakes or bamboo rakes.
(2) The aisles between the breeding beds should be kept clean, and the earthworm droppings should be cleaned regularly to ensure the cleanliness of the breeding environment. Vermicompost is a high-quality organic fertilizer, which can be used to grow crops such as fruit trees, vegetables, etc., and can also be processed into granular or liquid fertilizer products.
(3) The breeding bed should be regularly inspected to observe the growth of earthworms and the consumption of bait, and find and solve problems in time. If abnormal phenomena such as earthworm flight, death, and disease are found, the cause should be found out in time and corresponding measures should be taken. Such as adjusting the type and quantity of bait, improving the breeding environment, increasing ventilation, and using drugs for prevention and control.
6. Harvest
- 1. Harvest time
(1) The generation interval of earthworms is about 60 days, and they should be harvested in time during the breeding period to prevent earthworms from escaping or overcrowding. In general, harvesting can begin when the number of earthworms per square meter reaches 1.5-20,000 and most earthworms weigh 400-500 mg. If it is summer, it can usually be harvested once a month, if it is spring, autumn, winter, it can be harvested twice every 3 months, and after harvest, it is necessary to replenish and water in time, and add 1 time per month.
(2) When harvesting, pay attention to avoid high temperature, low temperature, strong light and other unfavorable factors, so as not to affect the vitality and quality of earthworms. It is best to do it in the evening or on cloudy days before harvesting, and put earthworms in a cool, damp container in time after harvesting to avoid exposure to the sun or freezing.
- 2. Harvesting method
(1) The most commonly used harvesting method is natural light harvesting. Taking advantage of the characteristics of earthworms that are afraid of light, the bait on the breeding bed is peeled off layer by layer, the bait is cleaned, and finally the earthworms are concentrated on the bottom layer to achieve the purpose of collection. This method is simple and easy to implement, but requires more manpower and time.
(2) Another harvesting method is mechanical screening. Using a special screening machine, the bait on the breeding bed is poured into the screen together with the earthworms, and the bait and earthworms are separated by vibration or rotation. This method is more efficient, but requires more equipment and money.
(3) Another harvesting method is induced migration. Taking advantage of the earthworm's preference for fresh bait, place the fresh bait on one side or above the breeding bed so that the earthworms automatically migrate to the fresh bait, and then collect the old bait and earthworms left behind from the other side or below. This method is less expensive but takes a long time.
Do you think this time is detailed enough, and then talk about the sales channels, after all, the purpose of breeding is also to make money, so the sales channels are also more important, do you know which sales channels, you can leave a message, so that the editor can summarize.