How to Raise Earthworms at Home? Detailed Guide to Farming Methods
When it comes to earthworms, perhaps many people do not like them, thinking they are very dirty and like to live in dark, damp and dirty places, but the value of earthworms is very great. They can not only be used as feed for raising chickens, ducks, etc., but also have great medicinal value.
How to Raise Earthworms at Home
It is very simple. The first step is to get a foam box, preferably a large one, depending on the situation, then put in soil. It should be loose and soft, do not use clay. OK, then put in the earthworms and keep the moisture at 60 percent. You can feed them rotten vegetables, rotten fruit and organic waste. That is all. When you find that many small earthworms have bred inside and the density is very high, you need to split them into separate boxes.
The Living Environment of Earthworms
Earthworms are poikilothermic animals, and their body temperature changes with the temperature of the external environment. Therefore, earthworms generally depend on the environment more noticeably than homoiothermic animals. Environmental temperature not only affects the body temperature and activity of earthworms, but also affects their metabolism, growth and development, and reproduction. Moreover, temperature also has a relatively large impact on other living conditions, thereby indirectly affecting earthworms. Therefore, temperature is one of the most important living conditions for earthworms.
Generally speaking, the activity temperature of earthworms is within the range of 5—30°C. At 0—5°C they enter a dormant state, and below 0°C they die. The most suitable temperature is around 20—27°C, at which they can grow, develop and reproduce well. At 28—30°C, they can maintain a certain amount of growth; above 32°C growth stops; below 10°C their activity becomes sluggish; above 40°C they die. The optimum temperature for cocoon hatching is 18—27°C. It can be seen that the maximum lethal temperature of earthworms is lower than that of other invertebrates.
The breeding site is best indoors. In southern regions, in summer provide ventilation and moisture retention, and in winter simply close the windows to keep warm, and normal production can be maintained all year round (the temperature here refers to the temperature of the bedding material, because the air temperature and the bedding temperature are not the same. For example: when the air temperature is 0°C, the bedding temperature is about 12°C; when the air temperature is 38°C, the bedding temperature is only about 28°C. This is because the manure material contains extremely high moisture).
The Benefits of Earthworms
Earthworms can loosen the soil, increase soil organic matter and improve its structure. They can also promote the transformation of acidic or alkaline soil into neutral soil, increase fast-acting components such as phosphorus, and make the soil suitable for the growth of crops. Because earthworms are rich in protein, using them as feed for livestock, poultry and aquaculture can all achieve increased production results. Earthworms also hold a certain place in pharmacology. They are a common traditional Chinese medicinal material and have effects such as reducing fever, relieving spasms, activating collaterals, relieving asthma, lowering blood pressure and promoting urination.
Earthworms can secrete a special enzyme that decomposes protein, fat and lignocellulose. Therefore, tree leaves, rice straw, livestock and poultry manure, household garbage, activated sludge, and scraps from the papermaking and food industries can all be its food. Earthworms can eliminate environmental pollution to a certain extent. Therefore, many countries have established earthworm breeding factories, and call earthworm breeding factories “environmental purification devices.” Because earthworms can absorb trace metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium from the soil, the accumulation of these metal elements in the earthworm body is 10 times the content in the outside environment. Therefore, some scientists believe that earthworms can be used as monitoring animals for heavy metal pollution in soil.
The Nutritional Value of Earthworms
According to measurements, the protein content of earthworms accounts for about 53.5%~65.1% of dry weight, fat content is about 4.4%~17.38%, carbohydrates are about 11%~17.4%, and moisture is 7.8%~23%. Earthworms also contain rich vitamin D (about 0.04%~0.073% of fresh body weight), as well as mineral elements such as calcium and phosphorus (about 0.124%~0.188% of fresh body weight). Earthworms contain various medicinal components such as lumbrokinase, earthworm toxin-removing enzyme, xanthine, antihistamine and vitamin B. At the same time, earthworms are also intermediate hosts of certain parasites such as nematodes and tapeworms, such as the ringed fine nematode and the long-spined metastrongyle, etc.
Vermicompost is a very good biological fertilizer, containing rich nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, humus, organic matter and trace elements needed by crops such as magnesium, boron, nickel and manganese. It is a cheap and efficient fertilizer for fruits, flowers, vegetables and nurseries.
Earthworms actually have many benefits. Many people may not have a very clear understanding of earthworms. First, they live in the soil and can improve the properties of the soil. Second, they can eliminate environmental pollution to a certain extent. Therefore, everyone should not underestimate this tiny earthworm; its role and value are still very great.