How to dried earthworms?

Question

i need it for my thesis... dried earthworms to be mixed with starter to be feed with broiler chicks...

Answer 1

Ash free dry biomass

   1.  Weigh your fresh earthworm (preserved or unpreserved), to the nearest 0.0001 grams.

   2. Dry your earthworm(s) in a drying oven at 60° C for 24-48 hours (or until it no longer loses weight) to drive off all remaining soil water content.

   3. Weight your fully dry earthworm sample(s) to the nearest 0.0001 grams.

   4. Place your earthworm in a muffle oven at 500° C for a minimum of 4 hours, to burn off all the combustible parts of the earthworm, basically everything except the gut contents.

   5. Weigh the ash, what remains of the burned earthworm(s), to the nearest 0.0001 grams.

   6. Subtract the ash weight from the dry weight of your earthworm to get ash-free-dry biomass of your earthworm.