Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience: Aquaculturists in private industry and academic institutions. Local food industries which have waste products usable in white worm production. Changes/Problems:While conducting this research, we realized that the biggest bottleneck to commercialization of white worms is development of a cost-effective harvester. For this reason, we chose to reprioritize the experimental objectives to focus on this critical issue during the last year of the project. As a result we did not pursue our original Objective 3: Evaluate the effects of rearing container size and/or shape for white worm production. From observations during the first year of this study, we realized that container size/shape likely would not significantly affect white worm production. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Andrew Pompeo, MS student in Ocean Engineering,developed the prototype for the white worm harvesting system as part of his thesis research. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?By nature of the work in which we are trying to develop a value-added product for the aquaculture industry, we are in constant communication with stakeholders. This is especially the case when we distributed free samples of live white worms and solicited feedback. Results have been disseminated via one-on-one conversations to interested parties, through oral and poster presentations at scientific meetings, and by electronic and mail distribution of white worm culture and use information, as well as pathogen screening results. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The overarching goal of this project was to develop "modern" white worm (Enchytraeus albidus) agricultural procedures. There is high interest from all sectors of the aquaculture industry (public aquaria, research institutions, and commercial farms) to utilize new feed sources (live, frozen, formulated), including white worms, as more and more aquatic species are being cultivated. Objective 1: In the past, we have cultivated white worms in organic potting soil, purchased from big box stores, and have not considered if there may be a more beneficial and lower cost media available. In an effort to utilize existing, local, lower-cost products, we evaluated if organic composted manure from the UNH Organic Farm is also a suitable media for white worm agriculture. A 9-week experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of three media treatments (organic potting soil, organic composted manure, and an equal mixture of both) on white worm populations. Every three weeks worm density (abundance, mass) was measured. Media did not affect worm abundance but manure resulted in larger worms. Objective 2: White worms are notoriously unfussy when it comes to feeding protocols. Evaluating and determining which feeding protocols is paramount to developing large-scale and cost-effective white worm production techniques. Our aim is to produce a live feed that can easily and cheaply be incorporated into the routine of aquaculturists, thus, the following dietary experiment was framed to distinguish the most optimal, locally-sourced feeds available to most coastal communities. We examined white worm potential as "local recyclers" by conducting a common garden experiment testing five feed treatments (coffee grinds, brewery wastes, stales [old bakery products], produce, and sugar kelp grown at UNH) over the course of different production cycles (6, 9, 12 wks) during Year 1 of the project. At the end of each production cycle, the worm population and reproductive output were calculated from each replicate. In addition, to evaluate the effects of feed and production cycle length on worm nutrition, subsamples of the worms from each experimental unit (n=45) were analyzed for proximate composition and fatty acid profiles, at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. Feed type and production cycle duration affected white worm biomass, reproductive potential, and proximate and fatty acid composition. In general, white worm cultures fed coffee grounds, stale bread, and spent brewing grains had higher production yields than cultures fed mixed produce or sugar kelp. Dependent on feeds and production cycle duration, white worms were high in protein (49-69%) and lipids (10-27%) and low in ash (5-8%), indicating that they would meet the dietary needs of species requiring a high protein, relatively high lipid, low ash diet. Compared to fatty acid profiles reported for standard live feeds, white worms provided less n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid content, with the highest levels in worms fed mixed produce or sugar kelp. Depending on the target species, white worms may need enrichment to increase certain fatty acid levels. Objective 3: This objective was not undertaken. Please see Changes/Problems section where this is discussed further. Objective 4: White worm diagnostic testing was completed to ensure we provide a bio-secure product for the aquaculture industry. All viral, bacterial, and parasitic assays tested were negative. Based on stakeholder input from the workshop held in Year 1, a survey was created for evaluating white worms as a live feed. Ten-gram samples (~7000 worms) were overnight-shipped to anyone in the US requesting worms. A total of 21 samples were shipped to 18 participants resulting in approximately 222,530 worms given out for industry feedback. 41% of participants fully completed an online survey detailing their experiences using the white worms as well as information on their facilities (e.g., species cultured, volume, live feed needs, etc.), and 47% partially completed the survey. The surveys were analyzed to determine which species or sector(s) of the aquaculture industry are most likely to benefit from using live white worms. Based on stakeholder input and the promising results of feeding white worms to ornamental fish, the best potential for using white worms is as a diet (live or possibly otherwise) for ornamental fishes. While protocols have been established to rear many of the 'typical' aquaria fishes like damsels, dottybacks, gobies, and blennies, there is a strong market demand for production of other fishes like tangs, wrasses, and butterflyfish; for many of these latter species, feeding regimens have yet to be worked out. Judging from our experiences with live white worms, white worms may help with expanding the opportunities to culture these trickier species. Given that possibility, we asked the ornamental industry what they wanted nutritionally in a feed; the unanimous response was a live feed high in essential fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA. Objective 5: We examined whether adding an enrichment high in fatty acids to spent brewing grains would result in white worms higher in fatty acids while factoring in how cost effective these different enrichments would be. Worm cultures (n=15 worm cultures) were fed grains enriched with one of five products (instant algae, salmon oil, flax oil, flaxseed meal, and wheat bran). A sixth treatment (n=3 worm cultures) was not enriched and fed grains only. All worm cultures were harvested after 10 hrs and feeds and worms analyzed for proximate and fatty acid composition. The total factor cost and average product cost of fatty acid concentration was calculated for each enrichment. Although both flaxseed and salmon oils increased the fat content in the spent brewing grains, only the salmon oil led to greater EPA content in the worms. More importantly, salmon oil enriched grains also resulted in worms high in DHA. In addition to salmon oil, grains enriched with instant algae yielded worms with equally high DHA content. However, we recommend using salmon oil over instant algae as a more cost-effective enrichment because: Salmon oil has a longer shelf life if refrigerated (up to 10 months) as opposed to instant algae which must be refrigerated but only lasts 4 months, and Salmon oil also costs less per percent of combined increase in EPA ($0.75) and DHA ($0.91). This is the least costly method we tested to achieve increases in these fats. Based on the previous experiment, salmon oil was chosen as the most cost-effective enrichment in terms of lower price, longer shelf life, and resultant high levels of DHA and EPA in the white worms compared to the other enrichments considered. To determine if varying the amount of salmon oil added to grains would affect white worm composition, an experiment evaluating three dosage levels (low, medium, high) was conducted. When factoring in the effect of the three salmon oil dosages on the fatty acid composition of the white worms, and in particular the amount of EPA and DHA, a high dosage of salmon oil is the most cost-effective enrichment we tested. Administering higher doses of salmon oil resulted in the largest increased of both EPA and DHA, further reducing the cost per percent of EPA and DHA concentrations. The cost per increase in EPA was reduced to $0.33 per 0.5 L of grain feed. The cost of percent DHA in worms per 0.5 L grain feed was $0.34. New Objective: Realizing that the single greatest hurdle limiting the commercialization of white worms is an effective method to harvet the worms from the oil, a Master's student designed and tested harvester prototypes. The most cost-effective, temperature-controlled harvester prototype yielded 81% (± 5% standard error) of the white worms in the soil within 135 minutes. This design is scalable and could be increased inexpensively for commercial white worm operations.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Fairchild, E. A., A. M. Bergman, and J. T. Trushenski. 2017. Production and nutritional composition of white worms Enchytraeus albidus fed different low-cost feeds. Aquaculture 481: 16-24.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Fairchild, E. A. and M. L. Walsh. 2017. How to grow white worms. Northeast Regional Aquaculture Center Fact Sheet No. 223-2017.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Fairchild, E. A., M. L. Walsh, J. T. Trushenski, K. L. Cullen, and M. Chambers. 2017. White worms a low cost live feed for the ornamental industry. Northeast Regional Aquaculture Center Fact Sheet No. 224-2017.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Fairchild, E. A., M. Chambers, and M. L. Walsh. 2017. Do white worms have commercial potential as a feed in the ornamental industry? The annual meeting of the World Aquaculture Society, February 20-22, 2017, San Antonio, TX.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Fairchild, E. A. and J. T. Trushenski. 2018. Improving white worm Enchytraeus albidus nutrition for ornamental fishes. The annual meeting of the World Aquaculture Society, February 20-22, 2018, Las Vegas, NV.
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Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience: Aquaculturists in private industry and academic institutions. Local food industries and farms which might have waste products usable in white worm production. Changes/Problems:As indicated in the "What was accomplished under these goals" section, we opted to change one of the objectives of this study - Objective 3: Evaluate the effects of rearing container size and/or shape for white worm production. From observations over the time we have been studying white worm agriculture, we do not anticipate container size or shape will significantly affect production. Instead, we have chosen to focus these resources on what we view is the biggest bottleneck to commercializing white worms - our current harvesting system. Currently, worms are harvested by a very rudimentary heating process whereby the worm culture containers are heated from below by electric heating pads, waiting for several hours for the soil to reach a high enough temperature that causes the worms to move to the soil surface, and then gently and carefully removed by hand aggregated worms and transferring them into clean vessels with forceps. This process can take hours to harvest relatively small amounts of worms, and may adversely affect the unharvested juvenile worms and cocoons if the soil remains too hot for too long. This process is slow, inefficient, and laborious. In addition, with this process, it is not possible to harvest a worm culture completely so determining total worm biomass/culture can only be estimated. Because harvesting the worms effectively is so critical to the success of a white worm aquaculture project, an Ocean Engineering Master's student has been recruited to design an effective white worm harvesting system. First, he is conducting a series of thermal conductivity experiments to understand how heat travels through the soil. From these thermal conductivity experiments, he will determine the largest width of soil and the highest temperature of the heating element in which the maximum amount of worms can be harvested. The upper thermal limit will be < 30°C since white worm eggs start to die after a 1-hr exposure to 30°C temperatures. Once the width of the soil and the temperature of the heating element are known, harvesting mechanisms can be designed and tested. Currently, there are two plausible harvesting designs. Both utilize heat as the main driving factor in harvesting worms out of the soil since the worms are thermophobic. The first design uses a heat source, mounted between two rectangular, soil-filled boxes containing worm populations, which will radiate heat from both sides through the worm cultures. For the prototype, the heat source will be a heating pad, sandwiched between thin aluminum sheets to create a more uniform distribution of heat throughout the cross section of the soil. The opposite end of each box will be open to allow for worms to exit the soil. As heat transfers through the soil, worms will migrate towards the exit. As the worms exit the soil, they will fall into a funnel that is situated underneath the entire harvesting system. This funnel will be full of water so that the worms can naturally group together and sink to the bottom. The second design uses the same heat source technique to transfer heat through the soil. In this case, the heating pad will be placed on top of the box containing the worm culture. Heat will radiate downwards through an aluminum plate, then through the soil. The underside of the box will be open but will hold the soil in place above it with a wire mesh screen. This should allow the worms to freely exit while also holding the soil in place. A similar funnel will be placed below to collect all worms that exit the soil. These prototypes will be constructed and tested to determine which can harvest white worms more effectively for a known amount of worms. The ratio of total biomass harvested to total initial biomass will be analyzed for each design, as well as the cost-effectiveness (amount of labor required). The design with the highest harvesting ratio and least labor required will be the preferred design for future harvesting studies. At this point, thermal testing has been initiated. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?By nature of the work in which we are trying to develop a value-added product for the aquaculture industry, we are in constant communication with stakeholders. This is especially the case as we distribute free samples of live white worms and solicit feedback. Results have been disseminated via one-on-one conversations to interested parties, through oral and poster presentations at scientific meetings, and by electronic and mail distribution of white worm culture and use information, as well as pathogen screening results. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we will finish analyzing all worm production data from Objective 1 (different culture media) and Objective 2 (different feeds), as well as complete and submit the corresponding manuscript. White worm testing and surveys will be completed, and the surveys analyzed to determine the marketability of white worms (Objective 4). Based on the survey outcome, Objective 5 (enrichment of white worms) will be started to design a customized live feed. Results from these objectives will be communicated to aquaculture stakeholders through presentations at the Aquaculture America 2017 meeting. In addition, Objective 3 (originally different culture sizes, but now improved harvesting system) will continue with the end goal of an improved, low-cost, low-labor, harvesting system.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The overarching goal of this project is to develop "modern" white worm (Enchytraeus albidus) agricultural procedures. White worms historically were used with great success to feed farmed sturgeon fry in the former U.S.S.R., but today commercial scale production no longer exists. Updating white worm production using 21st century techniques could lead to commercial scale production to produce food for numerous farmed species including, but not limited to, shrimps, exotic ornamentals, zebrafish, flatfishes, basses, salmonids, koi, tilapia, smelt, bass, and other freshwater and marine fishes. Objective 1: In the past, we have cultivated white worms in organic potting soil, purchased from big box stores, and have not considered if there may be a more beneficial and lower cost media available. In an effort to utilize existing, local, lower-cost products, we evaluated if organic composted manure from the UNH Organic Farm is also a suitable media for white worm agriculture. A 9-week experiment was conducted Sept. - Nov. 2015 to evaluate the effects of three media treatments (organic potting soil, organic composted manure, and an equal mixture of both the soil and manure) on white worm populations. Every three weeks worm density (abundance, mass) was measured. Data are being analyzed and results will be shared in the next report. Objective 2: Evaluating and determining which feeding protocols (optimal feeds and culture period before harvest) is paramount to developing large-scale and cost-effective white worm production techniques. Our aim is to produce a live feed that can easily and cheaply be incorporated into the routine of aquaculturists, thus, the following dietary experiment was framed to distinguish the most optimal, locally-sourced feeds available to most coastal communities. We examined white worm potential as "local recyclers" by conducting a common garden experiment testing five feed treatments (coffee grinds, brewery wastes, stales [old bakery products], produce, and sugar kelp grown at UNH) over the course of different production cycles (6, 9, 12 wks) during Year 1 of the project. At the end of each production cycle, the worm population and reproductive output were calculated from each replicate. In addition, to evaluate the effects of feed and production cycle length on worm nutrition, subsamples of the worms from each experimental unit (n=45) were shipped to and analyzed by Dr. Jesse Trushenski (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale) for proximate composition and fatty acid profiles, at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. At this point, analyses have been completed and a manuscript is in preparation. Objective 3: This objective has not been started yet, nor do we anticipate doing this. Instead, we have chosen to focus resources on what we view is the biggest bottleneck to commercializing white worms - our current harvesting system. Please see next section where this is discussed further. Objective 4: White worm diagnostic testing with Dr. Giray at Kennebec River Biosciences was completed to formulate and provide pathogen screening strategies for white worms to ensure we provide a bio-secure product for the aquaculture industry. All viral, bacterial, and parasitic assays were negative, and results were shared with worm testers and stakeholders at the Annual Meeting of the World Aquaculture Society in Feb. 2016. Based on stakeholder input from the workshop held in Year 1, a survey was created for evaluating white worms as a live feed. We connected with many aquaculture stakeholders via word of mouth and as an outcome from giving presentations who tested live white worms in their facilities. Ten-gram samples (~7000 worms) were overnight-shipped to anyone in the US requesting worms. A total of 23 samples were shipped to 17 participants, including 3 test shipments to Dr. Michelle Walsh at the aquaculture center in Florida Keys Community College to vet and refine shipping and handling methods. Species the worms were fed to included Southern flounder, tilapia, carp, freshwater and marine ornamentals, sturgeon, walleye, sablefish, and shorebirds. By the end of this reporting period, 41% of participants had fully completed an online survey detailing their experiences using the white worms as well as information on their facilities (e.g., species cultured, volume, live feed needs, etc.), and 47% had partially completed the survey. Stakeholder input is expected to conclude by the end of 2016, after which the surveys will be analyzed to determine which species are most likely to benefit from feeding live white worms. These species will be the targets for Obj. 5. Based on the survey results and feedback we obtain from the stakeholders utilizing white worms on dozens of aquatic species, we will be able to narrow the white worm market potential and structure subsequent competitive grant proposals to further develop this novel industry. Objective 5: This objective has not been started yet. Once Obj. 4 analyses are complete and we know what our target species are (i.e., which aquaculture industry sector(s) is(are) the most likely to utilize white worms), we will customize the nutritional quality of the worms using different enrichment products to provide the best possible live prey for the consumer. This objective will be completed by summer 2017.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Bergman, A., J. T. Trushesnki, and E. A. Fairchild. 2016. Cultivation of white worms Enchytraeus albidus using low- or no-cost feed resources. Aquaculture 2016. The annual meeting of the World Aquaculture Society, February 22-26, 2016, Las Vegas, NV.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Fairchild, E. A. and E. Groover. 2016. Effects of feeds and temporal cycles on white worm Enchytraeus albidus production. Aquaculture 2016. The annual meeting of the World Aquaculture Society, February 22-26, 2016, Las Vegas, NV.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Fairchild, E. A. and C. Giray. 2016. White worms Enchytraeus albidus: a pathogen-free live feed? Aquaculture 2016. The annual meeting of the World Aquaculture Society, February 22-26, 2016, Las Vegas, NV.
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Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Presentation to ZOOL 400 - Professional Perspectives in Zoology: Gave a presentation to approximately 20 freshman Zoology undergraduate students in Fall 2014 to inform them of the white worm research project including explaining the justificaition of the research and the proposed experiments. White worm workshop (February 20, 2015): Facilitated an 8-person workshop in conjunction with the Aquaculture America meeting in New Orleans, LA to discuss the white worm research project, including an overview of the project history, goals, and current status. Participants discussed fish species each group cultures that could be good candidates for white worm testing. We began the development of the survey metrics which will be used to assess success of white worms as a live feed in the aquaculture industry. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we will finish analyzing the worm production data from Objective 1 (different culture media) and Objective 2 (different feeds), and prepare the manuscripts. Results from these production experiments will be communicated to aquaculture stakeholders through presentations at the Aquaculture America 2016 meeting. At that conference, we also will host a second white worm workshop. By then, the survey for white worm testers will be constructed, and several stakeholders will have received and tested white worms in their facilties, and completed the surveys. We will share the results to date and begin discussions and plans for realizing Objective 5 - enriching the white worms to provide a customized nutritional feed. In addition Objective 3 (different culture sizes) will be initiated.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The overarching goal of this project is to develop "modern" white worm (Enchytraeus albidus) agricultural procedures. White worms historically were used with great success to feed farmed sturgeon fry in the former U.S.S.R., but today commercial scale production no longer exists. Updating white worm production using 21st century techniques could lead to commercial scale production to produce food for numerous farmed aquatic species. There is high interest from all sectors of the aquaculture industry (public aquaria, research institutions, and commercial farms) to utilize new feed sources (live, frozen, formulated), including white worms, as more and more aquatic species are being cultivated. We will be working with stakeholders through a series of workshops, test trials, and survey instruments to determine which sector(s) of the aquaculture industry will benefit most from use of live white worms. While we currently are working to provide worm samples to all interested parties in the aquaculture industry, we cannot promote them as a readily available food source until we optimize worm agriculture production and are confident that we can ensure a large, steady, and safe supply. We plan to develop cost-effective, environmentally-friendly techniques to produce a nutritional feed. In particular, we will examine the use of recycled, local, waste by-products as feed sources for the worms; determine whether compost is a better culture medium for the worms than soil; and evaluate different culture systems. Ultimately we will be able to provide a safe, sustainable feed to the aquaculture industry. This research will yield economically viable agricultural techniques for those farmers looking to diversify and a readily-available product for the aquaculture market. Objective 1: Determine if organic compost is a suitable growing media for white worms. In the past, we have cultivated white worms in organic potting soil, and have not considered if there may be a more beneficial and lower cost media available. In an effort to utilize existing, local, lower-cost products, we are evaluating if organic composted manure from the UNH Organic Farm is also a suitable media for white worm agriculture. An experiment was initiated in Sept. 2015 to evaluate the effects of three media treatments (organic potting soil, organic composted manure, and an equal mixture of both the soil and manure) on white worm populations. Every three weeks worm density (abundance, mass) will be measured. After 9 weeks, we will be able to determine the impact of various media treatments to the overall production of white worms, and adjust our future rearing protocols accordingly. Objective 2: Measure the effects of different feeds and production lengths on white worm growth, reproductive potential, and nutritional composition. White worms are notoriously unfussy when it comes to feeding protocols; worms will survive on just about anything including cooked vegetables, baby cereal, stale fish feed, hot dog buns, and coffee grinds. This diet flexibility is one of the main advantages of white worm production; however, we do not know which feed promotes the fastest growth and production. Evaluating and determining which feeding protocols (optimal feeds and culture period before harvest) is paramount to developing large-scale and cost-effective white worm production techniques. Our aim is to produce a live feed that can easily and cheaply be incorporated into the routine of aquaculturists, thus, the following dietary experiment was framed to distinguish the most optimal, locally-sourced feeds available to most coastal communities. We examined white worm potential as "local recyclers" by evaluating different waste products - spent brewery grains, spent coffee grinds, stales (old bakery products), leftover produce, and sugar kelp grown at UNH - over the course of different worm production cycles (6, 9, 12 wks) from Nov. 2014 - Jan. 2015. These feeds were available at no cost from local sources, and represented an array of feeds known to promote worm growth and reproduction. Worms were stocked out at a density of 10 g worms/0.1 m2 organic soil into 45 6.4-liter containers (5 feed treatments x 3 production cycles x 3 replicates) filled with organic soil. Worms were fed weekly with fresh batches of feed. At the end of each production cycle (6, 9, 12 wks), the worm population and reproductive output were calculated from each replicate. Because it was not feasible to ensure a total (e.g., 100%) worm harvest from each container, these production metrics were estimated from 3 subsamples. In addition, to evaluate the effects of feed and production cycle length on worm nutrition, subsamples of the worms from each container were shipped to and analyzed by Dr. Trushenski (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale) for proximate composition and fatty acid profiles, at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. To account for variability in the feeds, samples from each feed treatment were analyzed by proximate composition weekly. At this point, we are still in the process of analyzing the results. The nutritional analyses are solid; however, due to some uncertainty with worm population growth estimates, we repeated this feed experiment during May - August 2015 using smaller (118-ml) containers and only 50 worms stocked/container to validate the original (= Trial 1) production results. Weekly feeding and maintenance followed Trial 1 protocols. At the end of the experiment, were able to calculate absolute population growth increases by harvesting and counting all worms in each experimental unit. Knowing this strengthens our interpretation of Trial 1 results. Objective 3: Evaluate the effects of rearing container size and/or shape for white worm production. This objective has not been started yet. Objective 4: Characterize and evaluate white worms as a live feed for multiple aquatic species. We know that many cultured aquatic species will consume white worms, yet we do not know which of these species represents the most likely market for white worms. To identify which aquaculture industry sector(s) is(are) the most likely to utilize white worms, we have engaged a diverse group of stakeholders to feed white worms to a wide variety of finfish and shrimp species in their aquaculture facilities. In the coming year, whenever each stakeholder has aquatic animals at an appropriate life history stage for testing white worms, samples of live worms will be overnight shipped. Surveys are being developed by the project PIs in conjunction with the stakeholders. We held the first of two white worm workshops on 2/20/15 at the Aquaculture America 2015 meeting to not only provide the aquaculture stakeholders with an overview of the research project, but to solicit their input on the development of the surveys. Currently, Drs. Wilson, Fairchild, and Chambers are constructing the surveys. The stakeholders will complete the surveys once they test the white worms in their facilities, and their survey responses will be used to evaluate the white worms as a live feed. Because white worms have not been used at this scale and in these facilities, no standard protocol exists for proper bio-security measures. Currently, Dr. Giray of Kennebec River Biosciences, a company specializing in diagnostic and health testing for the aquaculture industry, is testing white worm samples. To date, all pathogen assays have been negative, indicating that white worms appear to be a safe food supply for use in the aquaculture industry. Based on the survey results and feedback we obtain from the stakeholders utilizing white worms on dozens of aquatic species, we will be able to narrow the white worm market potential and structure subsequent competitive grant proposals to further develop this novel industry. Objective 5: Evaluate the nutritional composition of white worms fed different enrichment products. This objective has not been started yet.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Fairchild, E. A. 2015. Aquaculture initiatives at the Coastal Marine Lab. Department of Biological Sciences Sustainable Agriculture Seminar Series, September 18, 2015, Durham, NH.
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