• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.171-181
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• 2004

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of supplementing earthworm meal (EWM) on the performance of spent laying hens after induced molting, and fatty acid composition in egg yolks. A total of 90 laying hens at 73 weeks of age were fed the experimental diets containing 0.0% (Control) and 0.2% of EWM for 4 weeks. Eggs were collected and weighted every day and Egg production and feed conversion were recorded every week during the experimental period. However fatty acid composition of egg yolk were measured at last week of experimental period. An amount of feed intake increased by supplemental with EMW except for Erst week experimental period (P<0.05). When 76 and 77 week of age, egg production and daily egg mass were improved by the supplemented with EWM (P<0.01), but average egg weight was not different when fed a EWM, therefore feed/egg mass was significantly decreased when fed a EWM. The ratio of egg yolk n-6/n-3 fatty acids contents was significantly improved fed a EMW (P<0.05). It is concluded that supplementing 0.2% of earthworm meal in the spent laying hens after induced molting was fast in recover of physical strength, therefore improves laying performance.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2006

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of supplementing earthworm meal(EWM) on the egg quality and performance of laying hens. A total of 360 laying hens at 55 weeks of age were fed the experimental diets containing 0(Control), 0.3 and 0.6% of EWM for 5 weeks. Eggs were collected and weighed in every day and egg production and feed conversion were weekly recorded. However egg quality were measured fer last week of experimental period. When fed both 0.3 and 0.6% of EWM, egg production and daily egg mass tended to increase but were not different between those treatments. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio of laying hens were not different among three groups. Egg shell thickness, breaking strength, color and egg yolk color were tend to improve in both 0.3 and 0.6% of EWM compared to those of control. The haugh units(HUs) showed no difference among each treatments at 14 after laying egg, but increased in EWM treatments compared to control for storage period. As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb detected 4.41, 1.23, 1.18, 0.00 and 3.39ppm in EWM, respectively, but which were not detected in control. It assumed that supplementing 0.3% of earthworm meal in the 55 weeks old laying hens diet, improved the laying performance and egg quality.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2003

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of supplementing earthworm meal (EWM) on the performance of laying hens and fatty acid composition in egg yolks. A total of 360 laying hens at 55 weeks of age were fed the experimental diets containing 0.0% (Control), 0.1% and 0.2% of EWM for 5 weeks. Eggs were collected and weighted every day and egg production and feed conversion were recorded every weeks during the experimental period. However fatty acid composition of egg yolk were measured at last week of experimental period. Amount of feed intake tended to increase by supplemental EMW, but feed conversion ratio of birds fed EWM was not different among three groups. Average egg production seemed to increase and significantly improved (P<0.05) when fed a 0.1% EWM and 0.2% EWM, respectively. Average egg weight was prone to decrease when fed a 0.1% EWM compared to that fed a 0% (control) or 0.2% EWM. Average daily egg mass tended to improve by the addition of EWM. It was more increased in 0.2% EWM treatment than 0.1% EWM. The ratio of egg yolk n-6/ n-3 fatty acids contents was 5:1 fed a 0.1% and 0.2% EWM. But these ratio was 10:1 in control group. It is concluded that 0.2% earthworm meal supplementation in the 55 weeks old laying hens diet, improves the laying performance and ratio of egg yolk n-6/ n-3 fatty acids contents (P<0.05).

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.185-194
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• 2007

This study was conducted to evaluate effects of feeding earthworm meal on the meat safety and performance of broiler chicks. A total of 60 broiler chicks at 7 days of age were fed the commercial diet and water until 47 days of age, earthworm meal divided into three treatments, 0% (control), 0.4% (treatment-1) and 0.6% (treatment-2) of dry earthworm meal. The body weight gain and feed/gain tend to be increase fed a 0.4 to 0.6% than 0% of earthworm meal. The effects tended to be higher in 0.4% than 0.6% of earthworm meal. As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb were detected at level of 4.41, 1.23, 1.18, 0.00 and 3.39ppm in earthworm meal, respectively, but those were not detected in the chicken meat (breast and thigh meat). It was assumed that supplementing 0.4% of earthworm meal in the broiler diet, improved the performance of broiler chicks and it still did not affect meat safety.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.63-82
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• 2009

This review was conducted to the study on treatment of poultry waste by earthworms, and the effect of feeding earthworms meal on the performance of broilers and laying hens, and safety of meat and egg. 1. The pro-environmental chicken house was building in Daegu National University of Education, Daegu city, chicken wastes will be turn into high quality compost by vermicomposting uses earthworms in the house. 2. The earthworm meal (EWM) has a high proteinic content and a balanced amino acid and fatty acid profile, therefore most feeding applications has been evaluated with mono-gastric animals. 3. The dietary supplementations of 0.2 to 0.4% EWM were effective in improve digestibility of crude protein of diet resulted improved broiler performance in broiler chickens. 4. The supplementing 0.2 to 0.6% of earthworm meal in the laying hens diet, improves the laying performance and egg quality, especially ratio of egg yolk n-6/n-3 fatty acids contents. 5. As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb were detected at level of 4.41, 1.23, 1.18, 0.00 and 3.39ppm in earthworm meal, respectively, but those were not detected in the chicken meat and egg. therefore supplementing 0.6% of EWM in the chicken diet, it still did not affect meat and egg safety. 6. These results indicated that vermicompositing uses earthworms good a subject matter in the pro-environmental animal husbandry.