Earthworm meal, sun dried worm meal, worms

Description:  

The use of earthworms is an ecological acceptable method for breaking down organic materials that have been mixed with soils. Instead of composing these materials worms can be multiplied, grown and harvested and used as a supplemental protein source to feed livestock stock . This is a method of converting organic waste materials into a viable supplemental protein source, while enhancing the soil characteristics.

Source:  

Certain soil types have been found to support the growth of higher numbers of worms. Worms can also can be used as an effective means of reducing certain types of organic matter, while increasing soil fertility. 

Processing:  

The worms harvested using several different methods. Organic material (grass, etc.) can be layed on the ground and the worms come out of the ground and lay under the organic material which can then be rotated and the worms can be collected. Soil that are rich in worms can be screened to separate the worms from the soil, if the clay content is not high. After the worms have been collected they can be dried by laying them out in the sun or by using an artificially drying system. The amount of soil contamination will be directly correlated to the meal. s ash content. Heating the worms at 120oC for one hour was found to improved growth rats and reduced bacterial count (8)(CAB N032296)(Harina de lombriz,1986).

Feeding Experiments:  

The nutrient quality and available of earthworms was found to be quite high. Therefore most feeding applications has been evaluated with monogastric animals. Researchers have found mixed results when earthworm meal was fed to poultry. Some experiments found it to be a satisfactory source of protein for growing broilers (15)(CAB N470730)(Reinecke, 1991), while other observed decreased performance when it replaced fish meal (1)(CAB N811465)(Koh,1985). Earthworm meal was found to be superior to fish meal in applications with broilers (16)(AGRIS 85-113745)(Cariaga,1983) while others found it to be similar (20)(AGRIS 92-118229)(Das,1990). When it was used to replaced soybean meal and fish meal no differences in was observed in performance in layers (3)(CAB 791496958)(Mekada,1979);(10)(CAB N394171)(Das,1989);(17)(AGRIS 83-885032)(Ulep,1982). The meal was similar to fish meal and casein in young growing chicks (5)(CAB N707692)(Koh,1984). When fed to quails earthworm meal improved gain and feed conversion when it replaced fish meal in the diet (18)(AGRIS 87-107989)(Silvestre,1984);(19)(AGRIS 87-107984)(Dioson,1984). Earthworm meal was found to be a satisfactory replace for fish meal and no differences in overall quality of the edible portion in carp (7)(CAB N179548)(Nandeesha,1988). When earthworm meal was used to replace fish meal at any level in diets for tilapia the following occurred; decreased feed intake, decreased feed conversion, and decreased growth (9)(CAB 991406873)(Sayed,1998). No difference in performance was observed in rabbits when earthworm meal provided 30 % of supplemental CP (12)(CAB N275768)(Orozco-Almanza,1988). Nutritional value of earthworm meal was found to be similar to casein when fed to rats (13)(CAB 931466056)(Cardenete,1993). Performance was increased when compared to an equivalent amount of fish in mink diets (6)(CAB N657059)(Bao,1983). 

Nutrient Characteristics: