What are the uses and key technical points of artificially farming cockroaches?
At the mention of cockroaches, everyone surely gets goosebumps all over and finds them filthy, especially when this creature shows up at home, you will find that they simply cannot be completely eliminated, because they reproduce too quickly. However, now some people actually farm cockroaches artificially, so what exactly are they good for? What are the related technical key points?
1. What are artificially farmed cockroaches good for?
1. Artificially farmed cockroaches can serve as chicken feed
“Periplaneta americana” is a common large cockroach native to Fuzhou. However, can you believe that grinding “Periplaneta americana” into powder makes it usable as chicken feed? The study “Research on the Resource-based Development and Utilization of Periplaneta americana” led by Dr. Zhou Qiong and others at the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Scientific-Technical Information of the Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences proposed that adding “Periplaneta americana powder” to chicken feed can improve the immune capacity of chickens. This research has already passed expert appraisal organized by the provincial Department of Science and Technology.
Cockroaches are omnivorous animals with extremely strong reproductive capacity. Large-scale cockroach farming is not difficult. Using cockroach powder instead of imported fishmeal as broiler feed will greatly reduce costs.
2. Artificially reared ones can be used as medicine, but non-artificially reared ones are pests that carry many viruses. Two thousand years ago, folk medicine already used cockroaches as medicine to treat bruises and injuries. Research on their utilization already existed, and this was recognized and recorded, passing down to the present day.
2. Key technical points for artificial cockroach farming
1. Farming environment
According to the living habits of cockroaches, it is recommended to use two methods for large-scale cockroach farming: mixed farming with ground beetles and dedicated cockroach rearing rooms. Cockroaches are nocturnal, hiding by day and coming out at night, and like to be active in warm, humid environments. The temperature should generally be controlled at 28-33°C. Points to note for a dedicated cockroach rearing room include: (1) pay attention to the sealing degree of the dedicated rearing room; (2) install moisture-retaining and heat-insulating materials around the dedicated rearing room (it is recommended to place some straw and foam); (3) doors and windows of the dedicated rearing room should not be made of wood products; (4) a walkway needs to be cleared inside the dedicated rearing room, with both sides serving as the cockroaches' habitat; (5) control the cockroach density in the dedicated rearing room well, because in cramped spaces cockroaches easily die and their reproductive capacity also decreases.
2. Variety selection
Generally, the cockroach variety for artificial farming is selected based on the life cycle, lifespan, and economic value of the cockroaches. Here the editor provides three types of cockroaches for everyone: (1) Periplaneta americana: long life cycle, lifespan of more than one year, a female can produce 40-60 egg capsules in her lifetime; (2) Periplaneta australasiae: relatively long life cycle, lifespan of about half a year, a female can produce 20-30 egg capsules in her lifetime; (3) Blattella germanica: short life cycle, lifespan of more than half a year, strong environmental adaptability.
3. Feeding management
The food for feeding cockroaches is also relatively simple. Vegetables, melons and fruits, wood products, and so on are all their food. Since cockroaches come out at night, you only need to feed them once a day at around 6 p.m., and the feeding amount depends on their appetite. If you want to improve the farming efficiency of cockroaches, the editor provides everyone with a most effective feed: configure coarse cornmeal (a large amount), salt, stone powder, fishmeal, lard, and brown sugar according to a ratio. While feeding, you should pay attention to the following aspects: maintaining a constant temperature (28-33°C), environmental humidity (70%), rearing in dark places, abundant food, sufficient water sources, a quiet environment, food safety, and preventing their natural enemies.