Abstract
The objective of the study was to know the difference in growth of two species earthworms as vermicomposting agents of broiler farm waste. The study also proposed to know the potency of the worms as broiler feed in term of nitrogen retention and metabolizable energy, moreover to know the quality of the produced composts. This experimental study was done triplicate in the period of eight weeks. There were two species of earthworm used, namely: Lumbricus rubellus and Eisenia fetida. The weights of the earthworms were measured every week, while the nutritional values of the worms were measured after the 8th measurement of worm's weight. At the end of vermicomposting, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents of the compost were analyzed. The obtained data analyzed using t-test. The results showed that both earthworms can be used as vermicomposting agent of broiler farm waste. The nitrogen retention and metabolizable energy of the worms are also representing similar values, so that the worms could interchangeable to be use as broiler feed. Finally, the result of study indicates that earthworm species provide no significant effect on the C/N ratio, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents of the resulted vermicomposts. Since those organic matter contents above the minimum requirement for organic compost of National Standardization of Indonesia, the vermicomposts were suitable to be used as single source of fertilizer.
Key words: Breastfeeding, bitch, chemical composition correlation
