Author : Ulep, Letty June L.

Summary : A study was conducted to determine the chemical composition of the earthworm Perionyx excavatus and evaluate its nutritional value for broilers. Earthworm meal contained approximately 60 percent crude protein, 0.56 percent calcium, 0.28 percent phosphorus, 2.65 percent lysine, 0.57 percent methionine and 1.74 percent cystine, on dry matter basis. Feed consumption of broilers fed the three levels of earthworm meal diets was comparable to the 10 percent and five percent inclusion of meat and bone meal (MBM) amd fish meal (FM), but significantly lower (P<.01) compared to the feed consumption of broilers fed the soybean oil meal (SBOM) diet, three percent MBM and FM, and the commercial ration. Body weight of birds from the 3 levels of EWM, 10 and 5 percent FM, the SBOM diet and commercial ration were comparable. Feed conversion efficiency of birds on five percent EWM was not different from 10 percent EWM and FM and 3 percent EWM. The incorporation of the EWM at any level in the diet of broilers was favorable in all measures than FM, meat and bone meal, and SBOM except for the slightly lower body weight at eight weeks than the commercial diet which was statistically insignificant. Earthworm meal can be recommended to be incorporated in the diets of broilers if mass production can be made ecomical.