Large-scale cultivation of earthworms

Earthworms, commonly known as earth dragons, are representative of annelid oligochaeta. Earthworms live in moist and fertile soil and are saprophytic animals that feed on decaying organic matter. In recent years, there are more and more farmers of earthworms. Earthworms are rich in proteins, amino acids, fats, minerals, vitamins and trace elements, which are rich in nutritional value. At the same time, they can also be used as medicine, and there are broad prospects for breeding. Here we introduce the breeding technology of earthworms and how to make earthworms high-yielding.

I. the living habits of earthworms

To raise earthworms well, we must first know the living habits of earthworms and know what kind of environment earthworms like in order to create good conditions for raising earthworms.

1. Like Wen. 15 ℃-25 ℃ is the best temperature, in order to create the best temperature, buckle plastic greenhouse or cover plastic sheet in winter, cover rice straw in summer, sprinkle more water to cool, 0 ℃-5 ℃ hibernate, freeze to death below 0 ℃, die above 40 ℃, stop growing above 32 ℃, buckle shed on October 25 in Beijing area, cover plastic sheeting, take off on April 10 of the following year, so that earthworms grow until December 20, and then until February 10 of the following year. Basically dormant, from February gas, to prevent the temperature is too high, earthworms escape, pay attention to uncover 10 days in time, gradually turn to the best temperature, at this time to pay special attention to high-temperature plastic sheeting. At this time, it is the hardest to uncover the plastic sheeting around during the day, cover it in time in the morning and evening, and water and moisturize in time, so that from March to June 10 is the spring spawning peak period for earthworms. During the high temperature period, it is necessary to prevent heat and cool down. It is best to water once a day. August 10 to August 20 is the summer day after to gradually enter dormancy. At the end of September, earthworms lay eggs for the second time.

2. Like to be wet and afraid of dry. The water content in the earthworm is about 80%, and the bait water content is 60% Mel 80% (to hold the material by hand, finger seam dripping prevails), so the water content of the culture bed is more than 60%, so every day or every 1-2 days, the water must be watered once, the water is not too large, but the water should be thoroughly watered and connected with the underlying materials, and the watering time is noon in winter, at night in summer, and during the day in spring and autumn.

3. Fond of darkness and afraid of light. Earthworms lie dormant during the day and go out at night and can be seen foraging in the moonlight. The breeding bed should be covered with straw to keep it moist and shaded.

4. Like air and quiet. Loose bait is beneficial to the growth of earthworms. Turn the bed over (about 20 cm thick) before feeding to increase air permeability. This is very important. Over the years, we have found that the number of earthworms at the bottom of the bed soil is very small, but there is still bait, mainly the lack of air, which is disadvantageous to the growth of earthworms.

Second, choose a suitable breeding site

The choice of earthworm breeding sites is diverse. Medicinal earthworms can be cultivated in front and back of houses, courtyard clearings, old wooden boxes, waste buckets, pots, bamboo baskets, brick ponds, seedling hotbeds, etc., but if large-scale breeding is to be chosen, they will generally choose to cultivate earthworms in open areas such as vegetable fields, orchards and nurseries, while raising earthworms can also improve the soil environment, mention the nutrients in the soil, and realize the dual use of the land.

1. Mulberry breeding method

Generally choose the mulberry garden with flat terrain and can irrigate and row, dig grooves 40 cm wide and 20 cm deep between the rows of mulberry trees, and add preliminary mature organic fertilizers, such as horse and cow dung, straw, weeds, pig and sheep dung, withered leaves, rotten grass, etc., with organic materials of about 5000 kilograms per mu, covered with soil of 10 centimeters and 15 centimeters, and put in human worms for breeding, depending on the species and individual size of the worm. Green manure or green fodder can be planted between rows, with a row of ditches every 5 rows. The water content is kept at about 30%.

2. Feed field culture

Including the cultivation of aggregate grass, broad beans and other perennial forage land can be cultured, when breeding to choose flat fodder land, every 10 rows to open an irrigation and drainage ditch. In the aggregate grass row, open the groove of 15 cm wide and 20 cm deep, apply human organic feed in the groove, and cover the soil with about 10 cm, which can be put into green earthworms for breeding. Always pay attention to irrigation or drainage and keep the soil water content at about 30%.

3. Vegetable garden culture

The vegetable garden has sufficient water and fertilizer conditions and fine management, which is most beneficial to the growth and reproduction of earthworms. In the vegetable garden where earthworms are raised, 7500-10000 kg of high-quality organic fertilizer or rotten vegetables and garbage are applied per mu. After the vegetable seedlings are unearthed, the worms are planted for breeding. In vegetable garden culture, the application of chemical nitrogen fertilizer and some pesticides should be reduced. Adult worms can be harvested by stages combined with vegetable management.

4. Orchard culture method

Using the open space under the fruit trees to cultivate earthworms can not only make full use of the land but also promote the production of fruit trees. For example, the method of raising green earthworms is similar to that of mulberry breeding. For example, breeding red earthworms (red earthworms), then accumulate mature cattle, horses and pig manure along the tree line with a width of 1.5 meters and a height of 0.4 meters under the fruit trees, which are used as earthworm breeding beds, leaving an aisle between each breeding bed and opening a row of ditches every two breeding beds. Cover the feed surface of the breeding bed with straw or wheat straw. Maintain a humidity of 60% to 70%. Cover it with plastic film on rainy days to prevent Rain Water from soaking.

5. culture in air-raid shelter

The city air-raid shelter is a basement, warm in winter and cool in summer, and the surrounding humidity is high, so it is suitable for breeding red earthworms. A lamp can be lit at night, which can not only prevent escape, but also has a certain light source conducive to the growth of earthworms.

3. Basic methods of earthworm culture

1. Culture density.

The number of earthworms raised by cow manure should be controlled within 10 000 earthworms per square meter, the production of earthworms should be 3 kg (20 ~ 31000) per square meter, 30 000 young worms per square meter in the early stage and 20 000 in the later stage.

two。 Timely replenishment

Usually earthworms can turn all pig manure into earthworm manure in about 20 days. When feeding, the new material can be covered on the basis of the original feed, and the amount of feed can be determined according to the food intake of earthworms. The feed should be laid evenly, coupled with rice straw, and often watered and moisturized.

3. Rational watering

In the process of breeding earthworms, in order to ensure the normal growth of earthworms, especially in summer, water should be watered at least once a day, the water should not be polluted, the water flow should not be too large, and it must be poured thoroughly so that the upper and lower layers can be connected. It is best to choose a lower temperature in the morning or evening.

IV. High-yield culture techniques of earthworms

In the process of earthworm breeding, the fermentation treatment of earthworm feed (poultry feces, lees, bagasse, leftover food, waste blood and animal viscera, etc.) is the key. If the feed is not fermented or not fermented thoroughly, harmful gases will be produced, the pH value is too high or too low, earthworms may escape, do not produce cocoons or even die. When the manure was fermented with the raw liquid of EM, the fermentation time of the manure was greatly shortened, and the peculiar smell was reduced, and after the feed was fermented, the pH value naturally reached 6.5-7.5, which could be fed directly without adjustment, the feed utilization rate was greatly improved, the earthworms produced more cocoons, propagated quickly, and the yield was increased by 2 to 3 times. The specific methods are as follows:

1. Set up pile

Use straw and straw (better cut into small sections) to first spread a layer of dry material (10-15 cm thick), then spread manure (4-6 cm thick) on top of the dry material, so repeatedly spread 3-5 layers, each layer sprayed with a sprinkler (EM raw liquid is added to the dung pile at this time, a ton of dung requires about 100kg of EM10 kg of water), until the water seeps out. If garbage is used, one layer of garbage and one layer of dung is unlimited in length and width, and it is covered with film. If 100% dung is used, the dung is dried until 50% to 60% dry, wet with water with EM, and covered with film.

two。 Turn over the pile

In the season of high temperature, the temperature in the reactor will rise obviously on the second day, rising to 60 ℃ ~ 70 ℃ in 4 to 5 days, and then drop gradually. When the temperature in the reactor drops to 40 ℃ (this process takes 12 days), the reactor will be turned over, turn the top to the bottom, turn both sides to the middle, and then add the EM diluent. Turn the pile 2 or 3 times in winter and once in summer.

3. Throw and feed

After the end of feed fermentation, the feed can be used after pouring water and cooling. Generally, the feeding method and side feeding method are used, that is, the feed is covered on the original feed that has been eaten by earthworms, once every 10 to 15 days; the side feeding method is to take out part of the finished feed and add the new feed to one side and add the other side next time.

V. Disease prevention and control

1. Feed poisoning

It is found that earthworms are paralyzed locally or even all over the body rapidly, yellow or grass body fluid is discharged from the back, and a large area of death is found, which is that the newly added feed contains toxin or poison gas. At this time, it is necessary to quickly reduce the material bed, remove the toxic feed, hook the base material of the material bed, add earthworm dung to absorb the gas, and let the earthworms sneak into the bottom to have a rest.

2. Protein poisoning

If the earthworm body is found to be partially scorched, one end shrinks or one end swells to death, the undead earthworm refuses to feed, there is a sense of horror and fear, and obvious weight loss. This is due to protein poisoning caused by improper collocation of feed ingredients during feeding. The protein content of the feed component should not be too high (the feces should not exceed the standard when the base material is made), because the poisonous gases such as ammonia and stench produced during the decomposition of the protein feed will cause earthworm protein poisoning. After the discovery of protein poisoning, it is necessary to quickly remove improper feed, add spray water, hook loose material bed or add buffer belt, in order to detoxify.

3. Anoxia

If earthworms are found to be dark brown, weak and slow in movement, it is due to lack of oxygen that leads to earthworm anoxia. The reasons are as follows: excessive ammonia, alkane and other harmful gases are produced when ① and manure are not completely fermented; ②, the environment is too dry or too wet, so that the stomata of earthworm epidermis are blocked; ③, the earthworm bed is too tightly covered, and the air is blocked. At this time, we should find out the cause in time and deal with it. If the base material is removed, continue fermentation and add buffer zone. Spray water or drain to keep the humidity of the base soil at about 30ft / 40%, open the window at noon for ventilation or open the cover, and install an exhaust fan, so that this problem can be solved.

4. Hyperacidity of stomach

In the discovery of earthworm spasmodic nodules, banding redness and swelling, the body became thicker and shorter, the whole body secreted more mucus, crawled in circles on the feeding bed, or drilled to the bottom of the bed without eating, and finally the whole body became white and died, and some diseased worms appeared the phenomenon of segment fracture before death. This shows that too much starch, carbohydrates or salts in earthworm feed are acidified by bacteria, resulting in excessive gastric acid in earthworms. The treatment is to lift the mulch to ventilate the earthworm bed and spray alkaline drugs such as soda or gypsum powder to neutralize.

5. Edema disease

If it is found that the earthworm body is swollen and swollen, in a daze or crawling out desperately, body fluid comes out of the back hole, and die of stagnation, or even cause the cocoon to break or make the newly born cocoon unable to shut up and become moldy. This is because the humidity of the earthworm bed is too high and the PH value of the feed is too high. At this time, the humidity should be reduced and the earthworms that climb to the surface should be cleaned to another pool. The calcium superphosphate powder or vinegar residue and alcohol residue were added to the raw material to neutralize the acidity and alkalinity, and then try to throw it to the earthworm after a period of time.

The vermis appears spasmodic nodule, which becomes thicker and shorter, the link is red and swollen, the mucus secretion of the whole body increases, and the earthworm becomes white and dies. The reason is that earthworms eat poisonous feed, such as spraying pesticides near animal dung piles, pouring polluted water on worm beds, stacking chemical fertilizers and pesticides in places where earthworms are temporarily nurtured, containers transporting earthworms have come into contact with toxic substances, and temporary earthworms do not leak water on the film, the feed is too wet, the environment in which earthworms live is too humid, worms turn white when the temperature is high, and a few die. If this happens due to poison, you can spray water many times to wash off harmful substances with water, and often add fine feed such as rice bran and wheat bran; indoor temporary cultivation of earthworms will move out. If the vermis becomes white due to excessive dampness, fermented dry animal dung or concentrate feed can be added to mix with the original tide material and earthworm dung, and the film will be taken out. If a few deaths have been found, they will be moved to the worm bed for raising, so that the active earthworms can be restored to health.

VI. Harvesting methods of earthworms

The traditional earthworm harvesting methods are: flooding method, trapping method, light driving method, red light night catching method, direct harvesting method and so on. Here, I would like to introduce a new screening method, which surrounds the iron net with holes into a cylinder and uses a machine to drive it to keep rolling in place, introducing the soil with earthworms from one end and expanding the opening at the other end. the earthworm and the soil will gradually separate by rotating centrifugal force, and because the action of gravity will fall on both sides of the opening at the other end, a collection bag will be placed at the other end where the earthworm falls. The separated earthworms can be harvested. The advantages of using this method are: first, it saves labor costs, and according to practical experience, nearly 400 jin of earthworms can be harvested per person per day; secondly, due to the use of iron mesh with holes, earthworms and eggs that have not yet grown will fall ahead of schedule, which will not cause excessive harvesting and save the cost of purchasing earthworm seedlings in the later stage.

VII. Development of earthworm products

Earthworms can develop a variety of products, in addition to the traditional feed for poultry, fishing friends as fishing bait, but also for human consumption, a lot of earthworm food has been developed, such as earthworm wine, etc.; earthworms can also be pharmaceutical. at present, earthworms can scientifically extract lumbrokinase from earthworms for the treatment of cerebrovascular infarction and other diseases, with obvious curative effect and can be used for clinical treatment. In addition, the feces of earthworms can be collected and screened and sold directly to the market for use as chemical fertilizer.

Finally, the pro-agriculture network would like to remind everyone that although the economic benefits of raising earthworms are extremely high, and experienced farmers can earn about 30,000 yuan per mu, earthworms still belong to special farming after all. need a certain breeding technology and a whole set of product market, do not do a good job of the above preparations, it is very likely to lose all their money.