A Detailed Explanation of Earthworm Farming Methods and Technical Key Points
How to Farm Earthworms?
Artificial earthworm farming is an emerging undertaking. It can serve as protein feed for livestock, poultry, fish and other farming, can use earthworms to improve soil and cultivate soil fertility, and can also process urban organic waste, turning waste into fertilizer and eliminating environmental pollution caused by organic waste. Earthworms have a wide range of uses and extremely high economic value.
Using the red earthworm as an example, this article mainly introduces its farming method. The red earthworm belongs to the family Lumbricidae, genus Eisenia, and is a manure earthworm. Its individuals are relatively small, generally with a body length of 90-150 mm and a width of 3-5 mm. At sexual maturity, the average fresh body weight per worm is 0.50 g. The body color is purplish red, with a pale yellow tail. It likes to swallow various livestock manures, has a strong tendency to gather toward fertilizer, and is suitable for artificial farming.
The preparation and fermentation of feed is an important material basis and technical key for earthworm farming. The feed sources for earthworms are very broad. Any non-toxic organic matter, such as livestock and poultry manure, various plant organs, fruit peels, bagasse, rotten fruit, 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-to-nitrogen ratio. Nitrogen feed and carbon feed should not be used alone; they must be mixed in appropriate amounts so that the ratio is adjusted to between 20-30. Earthworms are omnivorous animals and require nutrient-rich organic matter.
Earthworm feed is fully fermented organic waste, such as various livestock manures and straw, etc. Before fermentation, the livestock and poultry manure used must be sprinkled with water and broken up. If crop straw or rice straw is used, it is best to cut it with a hoe into 6-9 cm lengths, then water it and mix it evenly so that it is fully moistened, and then pile it on the ground. When piling the material, the pile should be loose and not compacted, so as to facilitate the reproduction of high-temperature bacteria. During piling, water should be sprinkled sufficiently, with a moisture content between 50-60%, and the pile height should be about 1 m.
After the feed is piled, it can be covered with plastic sheeting on top to achieve the purpose of heat preservation and moisture retention. Earthworms are omnivorous annelids. These organic wastes must undergo pile fermentation before they can be swallowed and used; otherwise, large numbers of earthworms will die. After the piled organic waste has undergone 3-4 days, the temperature inside can rise to between 50-60°C. After about half a month, the pile can be turned once, and water should be added. After three or four turnings and decomposition, it can be used.
There are many methods for farming earthworms. Flat-ground compost farming is one of the most commonly used and can be carried out both indoors and outdoors.
Take fully decomposed feed and put it onto the earthworm bed. At this time, the well-decomposed feed is dark brown, odorless, soft in texture, and not sticky. The width of the decomposed compost is 80-100 cm, and the length is 2-3 m. Water it so that the feed moisture is between 60-70%.
To be cautious, before formal farming, a feed identification test should be carried out by placing a small number of earthworms on the material bed. If the earthworms are unwilling to enter the material, it indicates that the feed is not fully decomposed and needs to continue fermenting.
Production practice has proved that the flat-ground compost farming method can reproduce earthworms in large quantities. Each material bed can be inoculated with 1000-2000 earthworms. After about 3 months, when the earthworms have reproduced in large numbers, they should be divided into separate ponds for farming in a timely manner. 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 relatively important effect on them. Temperatures below 5°C or above 30°C are not conducive to earthworm reproduction and growth. When the temperature drops to 7°C, a large number of earthworms will escape. If it is below 0°C, they may freeze to death.
The growth temperature for earthworms is between 5-30°C, and the most suitable temperature is 20°C.
Earthworms are aerobic in movement and breathe through their skin. Therefore, the feed in the farming bed must be rich in oxygen, and ventilation and air exchange are required, loosening the feed to ensure sufficient oxygen, so that earthworms can grow well. Otherwise, their growth and development will be hindered, their body color will become dark and dull, and their movement will be sluggish.
The growth and reproduction of earthworms are closely related to the pH value of the feed. The general adaptive range is between pH 6.0-8.0, and the most suitable is pH 7.0. Beyond this range, earthworms will show dehydration, drying, shrinkage, a dark purple body color, sluggish sensation, and escape outward, etc.
Production practice has proved that washing the feed with water before feeding can regulate the pH value. Although washing the feed with water will lose some water-soluble nutrients, it can remove harmful gases and wash away salts and harmful substances. However, for feed that has fermented relatively well, there is no need to adjust the pH value.
Earthworms like to eat sweet feed and feed rich in protein and sugar, and especially like rotten melons, fruits, and vegetable leaves. They also like to eat sweet-and-sour feed.
Earthworm feed must be watered frequently to keep it moist. Feed that is too dry or too wet will affect the growth and development of 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 the feed.
The water content in the body of earthworms is about 85%, and in life they must have a certain amount of water in order to grow and develop.
After the feed has been swallowed by earthworms for about 1 month, new nutrient-rich feed should be supplemented in a timely manner. Supplementing feed is generally done after cleaning out the feces. Earthworms feed from top to bottom, and fecal pellets are excreted on the surface and accumulate over a long period, which is unfavorable to the growth and reproduction of earthworms and should be removed in a timely manner. While scraping off earthworm feces, new feed should be supplemented on the farming bed.
When most of the earthworms in the bed have reached a body weight of 400-500 mg, and the density per square meter reaches 15,000-20,000, part of the adult earthworms can be harvested. There are many methods for harvesting earthworms.
On the surface of the farming bed, use a multi-toothed rake to loosen the surface bed material. After the earthworms drill downward, scrape off the surface earthworm feces. Repeatedly loosen the bed material and scrape off the earthworm feces. Finally, the earthworms concentrate at the bottom layer, achieving the purpose of collecting adult earthworms.
Use earthworm feces on crops to improve the soil and improve the quality of agricultural products while increasing yield and economic benefits.
People must not underestimate the role of the tiny earthworm. It is called an "environmental guardian," processing urban and rural waste; the feces it excretes, though scattered in small dots, are not only high-quality organic fertilizer but also high-protein feed for raising livestock, poultry, fish, and shrimp. Its development and utilization in food, medicine, and other aspects have increasingly attracted people's favor. Artificial earthworm farming and improved recycling utilization can not only reduce the cost of livestock and poultry feed but also quickly help people escape poverty and become prosperous. It will play an important role in the development of agricultural production.
Using the red earthworm as an example, this article mainly introduces its farming method. The red earthworm belongs to the family Lumbricidae, genus Eisenia, and is a manure earthworm. Its individuals are relatively small, generally with a body length of 90-150 mm and a width of 3-5 mm. At sexual maturity, the average fresh body weight per worm is 0.50 g. The body color is purplish red, with a pale yellow tail. It likes to swallow various livestock manures, has a strong tendency to gather toward fertilizer, and is suitable for artificial farming.
The preparation and fermentation of feed is an important material basis and technical key for earthworm farming. The feed sources for earthworms are very broad. Any non-toxic organic matter, such as livestock and poultry manure, various plant organs, fruit peels, bagasse, rotten fruit, 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-to-nitrogen ratio. Nitrogen feed and carbon feed should not be used alone; they must be mixed in appropriate amounts so that the ratio is adjusted to between 20-30. Earthworms are omnivorous animals and require nutrient-rich organic matter.
Earthworm feed is fully fermented organic waste, such as various livestock manures and straw, etc. Before fermentation, the livestock and poultry manure used must be sprinkled with water and broken up. If crop straw or rice straw is used, it is best to cut it with a hoe into 6-9 cm lengths, then water it and mix it evenly so that it is fully moistened, and then pile it on the ground. When piling the material, the pile should be loose and not compacted, so as to facilitate the reproduction of high-temperature bacteria. During piling, water should be sprinkled sufficiently, with a moisture content between 50-60%, and the pile height should be about 1 m.
After the feed is piled, it can be covered with plastic sheeting on top to achieve the purpose of heat preservation and moisture retention. Earthworms are omnivorous annelids. These organic wastes must undergo pile fermentation before they can be swallowed and used; otherwise, large numbers of earthworms will die. After the piled organic waste has undergone 3-4 days, the temperature inside can rise to between 50-60°C. After about half a month, the pile can be turned once, and water should be added. After three or four turnings and decomposition, it can be used.
There are many methods for farming earthworms. Flat-ground compost farming is one of the most commonly used and can be carried out both indoors and outdoors.
Take fully decomposed feed and put it onto the earthworm bed. At this time, the well-decomposed feed is dark brown, odorless, soft in texture, and not sticky. The width of the decomposed compost is 80-100 cm, and the length is 2-3 m. Water it so that the feed moisture is between 60-70%.
To be cautious, before formal farming, a feed identification test should be carried out by placing a small number of earthworms on the material bed. If the earthworms are unwilling to enter the material, it indicates that the feed is not fully decomposed and needs to continue fermenting.
Production practice has proved that the flat-ground compost farming method can reproduce earthworms in large quantities. Each material bed can be inoculated with 1000-2000 earthworms. After about 3 months, when the earthworms have reproduced in large numbers, they should be divided into separate ponds for farming in a timely manner. 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 relatively important effect on them. Temperatures below 5°C or above 30°C are not conducive to earthworm reproduction and growth. When the temperature drops to 7°C, a large number of earthworms will escape. If it is below 0°C, they may freeze to death.
The growth temperature for earthworms is between 5-30°C, and the most suitable temperature is 20°C.
Earthworms are aerobic in movement and breathe through their skin. Therefore, the feed in the farming bed must be rich in oxygen, and ventilation and air exchange are required, loosening the feed to ensure sufficient oxygen, so that earthworms can grow well. Otherwise, their growth and development will be hindered, their body color will become dark and dull, and their movement will be sluggish.
The growth and reproduction of earthworms are closely related to the pH value of the feed. The general adaptive range is between pH 6.0-8.0, and the most suitable is pH 7.0. Beyond this range, earthworms will show dehydration, drying, shrinkage, a dark purple body color, sluggish sensation, and escape outward, etc.
Production practice has proved that washing the feed with water before feeding can regulate the pH value. Although washing the feed with water will lose some water-soluble nutrients, it can remove harmful gases and wash away salts and harmful substances. However, for feed that has fermented relatively well, there is no need to adjust the pH value.
Earthworms like to eat sweet feed and feed rich in protein and sugar, and especially like rotten melons, fruits, and vegetable leaves. They also like to eat sweet-and-sour feed.
Earthworm feed must be watered frequently to keep it moist. Feed that is too dry or too wet will affect the growth and development of 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 the feed.
The water content in the body of earthworms is about 85%, and in life they must have a certain amount of water in order to grow and develop.
After the feed has been swallowed by earthworms for about 1 month, new nutrient-rich feed should be supplemented in a timely manner. Supplementing feed is generally done after cleaning out the feces. Earthworms feed from top to bottom, and fecal pellets are excreted on the surface and accumulate over a long period, which is unfavorable to the growth and reproduction of earthworms and should be removed in a timely manner. While scraping off earthworm feces, new feed should be supplemented on the farming bed.
When most of the earthworms in the bed have reached a body weight of 400-500 mg, and the density per square meter reaches 15,000-20,000, part of the adult earthworms can be harvested. There are many methods for harvesting earthworms.
On the surface of the farming bed, use a multi-toothed rake to loosen the surface bed material. After the earthworms drill downward, scrape off the surface earthworm feces. Repeatedly loosen the bed material and scrape off the earthworm feces. Finally, the earthworms concentrate at the bottom layer, achieving the purpose of collecting adult earthworms.
Use earthworm feces on crops to improve the soil and improve the quality of agricultural products while increasing yield and economic benefits.
People must not underestimate the role of the tiny earthworm. It is called an "environmental guardian," processing urban and rural waste; the feces it excretes, though scattered in small dots, are not only high-quality organic fertilizer but also high-protein feed for raising livestock, poultry, fish, and shrimp. Its development and utilization in food, medicine, and other aspects have increasingly attracted people's favor. Artificial earthworm farming and improved recycling utilization can not only reduce the cost of livestock and poultry feed but also quickly help people escape poverty and become prosperous. It will play an important role in the development of agricultural production.