Raising calcium worms for green agricultural production - a new model in Nghe An
(Baonghean.vn) - The calcium worm farming model in Do Luong district (Nghe An) not only takes advantage of agricultural waste, but also provides a nutritious food source for livestock, which is an effective solution to treat manure and prevent environmental pollution.
After planting spring-summer rice, the Farmers' Association of Thinh Son commune, Do Luong district deployed the following measures:green agricultural production modelThe application of biotechnology has just been trained by the Provincial Farmers' Association. Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Thinh Son Commune, Le Van Dung, was the first to volunteer by raising calcium worms and composting straw in the field.probiotics.
 |
Mr. Le Van Dung raises calcium worms at home. Photo: HT |
At a corner of his family's livestock area in Van Phuc hamlet, Thinh Son commune, Mr. Le Van Dung happily introduced the finished product of calcium worms that he has raised for more than 10 days.
“Calcium worms are the larvae of black soldier flies. They are called calcium worms because when they reach the adult stage or molt to become black soldier flies, the cocoons left by the worms contain a lot of calcium. The mature worms can be fed directly to poultry, or the cocoons can be used to feed livestock and poultry as a source of nutrition, especially calcium, which is very good for the growth of livestock,” said Mr. Dung.
The method of raising calcium worms is also very simple, just use styrofoam boxes, or buckets, basins, plastic barrels to make shelter for the worms. From the source of larvae provided by the Provincial Farmers' Association, after nearly 2 weeks of raising, the larvae have grown and multiplied many times. The food of the worms is animal waste, green vegetable waste, especially pig manure. Therefore, raising calcium worms not only provides a nutritious food source for livestock but is also a solution to effectively treat manure and prevent environmental pollution.
 |
Each kilogram of calcium worms helps decompose 6 kilograms of animal waste. Photo: HT |
“1 kg of calcium worms growing in about 2 weeks consumes about 6 kg of animal waste. Each pig during the process of growing until selling excretes about 250 - 300 kg of manure. Therefore, applying calcium worms to decompose animal waste is not only an effective solution to thoroughly treat the environment, but also creates a source of high-quality "0 VND" animal feed, minimizing production costs" - Mr. Dung said.
Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Thinh Son Commune, Le Van Dung, added that the whole commune has a total annual planting area of more than 264 hectares, with a total annual grain crop output of 3,500 - 3,550 tons/year, of which rice accounts for about 40%.
 |
Raising calcium worms helps farmers save on livestock costs. Photo: HT |
Livestock and crop production are still the main income-generating industries for many households in Thinh Son commune. The application of green agricultural production models is being actively implemented by the Commune Farmers' Association, with the immediate future being to expand the practice of raising calcium worms and composting straw in the fields with probiotics.
Leading us to his family's lush green rice field, the Chairman of the Farmers' Association Thinh Son further demonstrated the batch of golden straw that had been softened with probiotics. After harvesting rice, people used to burn straw in the field, which was very wasteful, while others collected it and dried it. Composting straw with probiotics right at the edge of the field not only helps decompose it, turning it into a green fertilizer for the next crop, but also reducesenvironmental pollutionfrom burning straw
 |
Finished calcium worms are a nutritious food source for livestock. Photo: HT |
Mr. Nguyen Cong An - Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Do Luong district said that in the coming time, the District Association will expand the model of raising calcium worms and composting straw in the fields in the whole district. This is one of the contents of the Project "Propaganda, mobilization, and guidance for farmers to produce, trade, and consume safe agricultural products and food, period 2020-2023"; Project "Propaganda, mobilization, and guidance for farmers to produce organic microbial fertilizers from agricultural by-products and waste, period 2022-2025" in Do Luong district.
 |
Officials of the Farmers' Association of Thinh Son commune piloted composting straw in the field using biological yeast. Photo: HT |
How to raise calcium worms:Mix 1 kg of chickpea bran + 1 liter of water + 1 kg of soybean residue and estimate the humidity to be about 60% to put in the breeding tank. After incubating the eggs for about 4 days, put the larvae the size of a toothpick into the breeding cage. The time to raise calcium worms in the cage is about 14 - 20 days, after 6 stages of maturity, the worms can be used as food for chickens and ducks; or use worms to decompose organic waste in daily life.
Black soldier fly larvae (calcium worms) have the ability to digest organic components in household waste, livestock and poultry manure, etc., creating humus rich in nutrients for plants. Not only that, calcium worms are also a very useful source of nutritious food for chickens, ducks, fish, etc. When alive, calcium worms contain up to 15% protein and 5.8% fat. Therefore, farmers often choose this food source to provide for livestock, reducing farming costs but the reproductive time in livestock is very good, bringing high profits.
