Black soldier flies are one of the insects that bring high economic value, so they are raised and bred by many farms. When people first start raising black soldier flies, they often wonder what black soldier flies eat.How to prepare and use food for black soldier flieshow. In the article below,Microbial product Duc BinhWe will provide detailed information to help you answer these questions!
How to prepare and use food for black soldier flies?
1. Introduction to black soldier flies
When talking about insects, flies and mosquitoes, the first thing we think of is their harmful effects on crops and human health. However, among them there is an insect that is very useful to natural life, which is the black soldier fly. Many people also know this insect as the calcium worm. The most common application of black soldier flies is to become a source of animal feed with extremely rich nutritional content.
Black soldier flies are classified as a special group of insects with a quite unique life cycle. Unlike other harmful insects, black soldier flies develop and live in a life cycle lasting about 45 days. During this stage, fly eggs will develop into larvae, then develop into pupae, then develop into adult insects and finally they perform the function of natural reproduction and reproduction.complete its regeneration mission.
2. Life cycle of black soldier flies
Egg stage
Fly eggs are relatively small in size,They are usually laid in clusters in a private, dry place, near a source of decomposing food. When hatched,The eggs will become larvae within 4 days of incubationat appropriate temperature and humidity.
Larval stage
Characteristics of larvae in this stage are that the color leans toward opaque white,also called worms. This is the period when you eat the most and accumulate the most nutrients.lasts for about 14 days. After this time, they will reach their maximum size, transition to the pre-pupa stage, and can be a source of nutritious food for livestock such as chickens, birds, fish, etc.
Stage of development into black pupa
Continue adding calcium worms into the feeding cycle for the next 14 days(including the pre-pupal stage).Calcium worms will develop into black pupae(pre-pupal and pupal stages).Farmers can notice this process by observing the color going from opaque white to black,The outer shell is harder and thicker.
Stage of development into cocoon
After appearing for about 7 days, the black pupa will continue to develop into a motionless cocoon(usually the hard pupal stage).At that time, you will no longer be able to observe their activities,They look for a dry place to pupate.
Black soldier fly reproductive stage
Putting the cocoons into the breeding cage environment (net house), after 5 days the farmer can obtain adult black soldier flies from the initially developed cocoons. Most black soldier flies will be placed in a mesh chamber specifically for reproduction. To perform the reproductive function, male black soldier flies will mate with female flies of the same breed.Adult flies do not eat anything, they only drink water and live on nutrients accumulated from larvae.At this point, the complete life cycle of the black soldier fly ends.
Basic life cycle of the black soldier fly
3. Effects of black soldier flies
Decompose organic waste
Many farmers know that the black soldier fly’s favorite food, especially in the larval stage, is decomposing organic waste.such as livestock and poultry manure, agricultural waste, and leftover food.Black soldier flies are likened to natural organic waste decomposition machines because of their extremely voracious appetite and can eat day and night. Thanks to this ability, the black soldier fly can reach a length of 2.5cm in just over 20 days.
If compared with earthworms in terms of waste treatment speed, calcium worms naturally reach first place with a speed about 5 times faster. Therefore, black soldier fly larvae are bred quite commonly in places with strong agricultural activities as the most natural and safe way to treat organic waste.contribute to environmental protection.
Make food for pets
Calcium worms, also known as black soldier fly larvae, can be used as a nutritious food source for livestock if the development cycle has reached about 21 days. In general, in a normal life cycle, black soldier flies absorb the most nutrients in the larval stage.Helps them accumulate maximum protein and fat.
The nutritional composition is quite diverse, including about 42% protein, 34% fat and more than 5% calcium.(calculated by dry weight). This nutritional content is enough to meet the animal’s need for daily food without the need for additional nutritional sources.
Furthermore, using natural insect food sources will ensure better nutritional content than feeding animals industrial food products.Helps pets stay healthy and develop more naturally.For this issue, farmers should pay attentionHow to prepare and use food for black soldier flies. To provide enough nutrition for pets, it is best for farmers to create a regular amount of larvae to add to their daily food source.
⫸ See more:How to compost food for chickens, ducks, geese and geesetechnical standards
Production of organic fertilizers
Animal feces is one of the problems that livestock households often encounter.causing environmental pollution and odors. To process pet manure, they have to spend a lot of time and space to process it properly.
However, in many parts of the world, the black soldier fly insect is now used to replace previous ways of treating animal manure. The ability of black soldier flies is to consume animal feces very quickly, and can also secrete substances that soothe the odor of feces and repel insects. other pests such as house flies. In fact, calcium worms are a natural enemy of harmful insects in general and fly larvae in particular.
Besides, the feces of black soldier fly larvae can be used as organic fertilizer to fertilize plants. Manure is usually very loose, so it is quite easy for plants to absorb the necessary amount of substances in it. Many owners also use the bodies of black soldier flies after the end of their life cycle to fertilize ornamental plants.Provides additional protein and minerals.
Black soldier flies have the ability to process animal manure and produce organic fertilizer for plants
⫸ See more: Solutions for handling agricultural wastehelps protect the environment
⫸ See more:How to compost organic waste without odorExtremely simple
Bring income from fly eggs
Currently on the market, the price of black soldier fly eggs is about 15 million – 30 million/kg (depending on time and quality). This is really a very high price and can become the main source of income for many breeders.
The cost to raise and breed black soldier flies is quite cheap.Mainly the initial investment costs of barns and seed sources.Their main food source comes from damaged vegetables, tubers and waste products of plant origin such as soybean residue, rice residue, beer residue,…
Furthermore, black soldier flies have a very voracious appetite. They can consume food such as animal feces from pigs, cows, buffaloes, chickens and ducks, etc. Farmers can find this type of food easily in markets, farms, and industrial parks at extremely cheap prices, even for free.or purchased at low prices, significantly reducing input costs.
In general, what level of revenue does black soldier flies bring to farmers? With an area of about 1000m2 of the net house for raising brood flies and the larva rearing area, applying the right techniques and care procedures, the reproductive ability of adult black soldier flies can reach a minimum of 2kg of fly eggs per day. This also means that the daily revenue of such a farm can be up to 60 million VND.In addition, the source of income also comes from selling commercial larvae (calcium worms) and selling organic fertilizer, creating a circular economic model, making the most of products.
The income received from raising black soldier flies is very large numbers. Therefore, more and more people choose to raise and breed this insect. However, no matter what the requirements are, in order for the income received from insect farming to be as expected, farmers need to pay attention toHow to prepare and use food for black soldier fliesas reasonable and optimal as possible.
4. How to prepare and use food for black soldier flies
What do black soldier flies eat?
Besides the concern toHow to prepare and use food for black soldier fliesThe food source of this fly is also an issue that many livestock owners pay attention to. Among insects, the black soldier fly can be considered the most voraciousand is capable of processing a variety of organic wastes.
These insects are likened to nature’s waste processing machines. Furthermore, these machines also have the ability to be regenerated to be applied to the farming and animal husbandry process,helps close the production cycle.Organic waste products are the main food source of black soldier flies. The basic types of waste products can be listed as follows:
- Cultivation waste products:Damaged vegetables, tubers, and fruits,Pressed vegetable residue, sugarcane bagasse… Do not choose waste products that have used pesticidesor toxic preservativesbecause it is easy for the larvae to die when ingested.
- Waste products from livestock:Includes animal manures such as cow manure, buffalo manure, pig manure, goat manure, chicken manure, duck manure, etc. If the farmer has the conditions to treat these manures with microorganisms first, it will provide better nutrients for the larvae.Helps larvae grow faster and cleaner.
- Waste products from industry/processing:Beer residues, soybean residues, rice residues, etc. These waste products provide a source of protein,different fats and fibers for larvae. It should be noted that some waste products such as beer residue and soybean residue have had most of their protein exploited, so it is necessary to supplement other nutritional sources, or ferment probiotics to increase digestion and absorption.
- Waste products in family activities:Includes leftover, spoiled foods,Used grease (needs treatment)…
The food source for black soldier flies is quite cheap and easy to find.
How to incubate and deodorize food for black soldier flies
Composting food helps decompose complex organic substances into simpler forms (sugars, amino acids), making it easier for larvae to digest, absorb, increase growth speed, and especially eliminate odors and prevent the growth of house flies and pathogens.
Preparation:
- Composting materials for food (manure, organic waste, soybean residue…): 100 – 150kg
- EMZEO fermented bran: 1 pack of 200gr
- Clean water: 30 liters
- Molasses: 1 liter
EMZEO fermenting animal feed yeast ferments and deodorizes waste and manure to make food for black soldier flies
The incubation method achieves the fastest results
- Yeast mix:Dissolve EMZEO fermented bran in clean water and molasses.
- Mix well:Slowly pour the mixed yeast solution into the compost ingredients (100kg), while stirring thoroughly until the ingredients reach the ideal moisture content (60%). Note: If the ingredients are too dry, the fermentation process will be slow; If it is too wet, it will easily become anaerobic and rot.
- Incubate tightly: Put all the mixed ingredients into a plastic container with a lid or a thick sack, tie it tightly or cover it tightly to ferment. The incubation process needs to take place under anaerobic conditions (lack of oxygen).
- Incubation time:Incubation time is about 3 – 7 days (depending on environmental temperature and type of ingredients). When you see that the ingredients have a slight sour aroma, no longer have the original stench, and there is a warming phenomenon, the yeast has worked well. At that time, take it out as food for black soldier flies. The more thoroughly the food is incubated, the easier it is for the larvae to absorb and grow faster.
5. How to prepare food for black soldier flies
There are two main purposes for a person to choose to raise and breed black soldier flies, which are to make food for livestock and as breeding stock.
5.1 Raising for animal feed (Biomass production)
If the purpose of raising is to make food for pets, you can choose different types of foodFermented waste productsas the main source of nutrition for this insect.
- Food use:The larvae should be fedsufficient amountAt each meal, do not add too much, causing waste and making the food sour, liquid, and susceptible to pathogens. The optimal food layer is usually about 2-5cm thick. It is necessary to ensure that the humidity of the trough is always 70-75% during the young larval stage and 60-70% during the large larval stage.
- Harvest: About later21 daysdevelop, when the larvae reach their maximum size, they can become a nutrient-rich food source for livestock.
- Processing: How to prepareDepending on the animal, it will be most edible and easiest to eat. You can feed it directly (alive) or dry it, grind it into powder to mix it with animal feed.
- For poultry (Chicken, Duck):Feed live larvae directly.
- For seafood (Fish, Shrimp):Can be fed directly or dried, ground and mixed into bran.
- For pigs:Mix boiled/ground larvae into food.
By doing this, people can cut the cost of raising larvae as pet food by about 70% of the amount spent.Usually, it completely replaces fishmeal and a portion of expensive soybean meal.
5.2 Raising for breeding (Raising brood flies)
If the purpose of raising is for breeding, the farmer needs to take care so that the larvae grow to their largest sizeand healthiest. Flies that are large enough will perform the mating and egg laying process better,ensure the quality of the next generation.
- Small larval stage (1-7 days old): The way to feed black soldier flies here is also quite different.When the larvae have just hatched, farmers should feed them protein-rich synthetic bran (for young poultry) along with beer residue/fermented soybean residue. Food needs to be finely ground and have high moisture, making it easy for young larvae to eat and digest.
- Large larval stage (7-14 days old): When they are 7 days old, you should filter the manure (harvest biomass), replace old food with more nutritious food such as animal carcasses, chicken and duck carcasses, spoiled fruits and vegetables,slaughterhouse by-products fermented with probiotics… This is the best solution to have a healthy and highly productive fly litter.
- Pre-pupa stage (14 days old or older): When observing about 80% of the larvae are black (transitioning to the pre-pupa stage), the farmer canselectiveand put it under a mosquito net to wait for the larvae to develop into flies.At this time, it is necessary to stop feeding and reduce the humidity of the trough to low (about 30-40%), creating dry conditions for them to pupate.
- Adult fly stage: Once they become adult flies, you no longer need to provide them with food.simply provide clean water (mist or place an absorbent sponge) and ensure appropriate natural/artificial lighting for mating and egg laying.
Above is the basic information aboutHow to prepare and use food for black soldier flies effectively. Hopefully this article will be a useful reference source for you.
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