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What does do you mean by the word “Silkworm Farming”?
The business of rearing silkworm or silkworm rearing is known as the silkworm farming as in this business, the growing of silkworm is included.
Basically, silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a major source of fabulous mulberry silk production of the sericulture industry. Nowadays, the business of rearing silkworm is being increased with a rapid rate throughout the different portion of the world because of too much profit is there with little care and management of the worms.
There is a need for quality and nutritious mature mulberry leaves throughout the complete rearing period of silkworms. In addition to this, silkworm farming also requires optimum favorable environmental conditions along with protection from pests, insects, and diseases for the optimum production as the essential need.
Silkworms are divided into three different race. These three are univoltine, bivoltine and multivoltine races depending on the total number of generation per a single year. The univoltine races and bivoltine races are precise for the temperate region whereas the multivoltine races are peculiar for tropical areas.
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The silkworm farming or rearing needs knowledge of both kinds; technical as well as commercial. Presently, the tropical region where mulberries grow luxuriantly throughout the complete year, about 5 to 7 rearing can be easily conducted in a single year whereas, in the temperate and subtropical region, it is possible to rear one time per every two crops.
From the hatching to its full growing stage, the silkworm has to passes from 5 instars and worms up to stage 2 are known as the “Chawki” or young age worms. Since these are very sensitive to the many kinds of infections and are also unsafe due to the adverse weather conditions, it requires special care to be taken in rearing these “Chawki or Young age worms”
However, to obtain a big profit via rearing silkworms, these silkworms should be reared or raised under the controlled conditions in an individual Chawki rearing centers. Also, make to keep the Chawki packages of practices totally separate from the late age rearing.
However, follow the following instruction while Chawki rearing as indicated below…
If all this provided, the growth rate in the worms will be maximum in minimum time of rearing. With this conditions (ideally), within 3 to 4 days, the first instar go to molting whereas the 2nd instar will go for in about 3 days. While the 3rd instar is the crucial one as it is the intermediary stage of the Chawki or young age worms and the late age worms.
From the 3rd instar in the Chawki rearing, these worms become voracious feeders. Then after, follow the following instruction in this rearing business.
Silkworm farming requires comfortable environment for an optimum growth rate of the larvae and worms. So, to maintain comfortable and favorable conditions for worms, there is need of the house. Construct a house which has economic cooling features with the selection of suitable wall material and fabrication of roof. The ideal temp for optimum growth rate in the worms is from 24 °C to 28 °C with about 70 % to 85 % RH in the house.
Also, make sure of sufficient space needed to handle out the leat preservation, Chawki or Young age worm rearing, late age worm rearing and for the molting. Proper hygiene and disinfection at regular interval of time are also required.
However, the size of the rearing house for silkworm depends on the rearing type and the quantum. Practically, for rearing 100 DFLs (Disease Free Layings; and 1 DFL = 500 larvae) requires a 400 sq feet floor area for the excellent production.
The late age worms are not able to tolerate high RH, high temperature, and poor freshening. So, there is a need for cross ventilation facilities to maintain the room temp. removal of vapors and toxic gases generated because of excreta produced by large numbers of silkworms.
The following below is a table showing the equipment requirement for rearing 100 DFL’s or 50,000 larvae.
Note: The equipment requirement may vary according to the scale of rearing.
Feeding is an important task that requires more attention to be taken while rearing silkworms for the silk production. So, start feeding with about 45 to 55 days older harvested shoots having 3 ft height in the chilling hrs, mostly in the morning whereas 5th age worms should be fed with two months older shoots. So, for feeding, loosely store the harvested shoots in a vertical position at a cooler and moistened place through covering it with clean and disinfected. wet gunny cloth.
However, the feeding quantity of quality leaves varies according to their ages such as the 4th instar of bivoltine silkworms needs 460 Kg of shoots whereas the 5th instar of same needs more than 2800 kg of shoots for the healthy growth of worms. Make a schedule of daily three feeding (5 AM, 1 PM and 9 PM) and feeding with overmatured and soil leaf should be avoided. Spread the worm larvae uniformly on the rearing beds for every feeding according to their space requirement such as a 100 DFLs at late 5th stage needs a space of 600 sq feet area.
To avoid contamination, the suspected diseased and undersized worms should be discarded at the time of feeding only with chopsticks. Put these picked larvae into 2 % bleaching powder with 0.5 % slaked lime solution.
In the method of rearing silkworm, the last three stages should be conducted by giving mulberry shoots instead of single leaves. Shoot rearing is helpful in saving about 45 % of labor in the rearing process.
The other advantages of shoot rearing include the following list:
Silk-producing worms require a comfortable environment with good temp and relative humidity of the atmosphere. For late age worm rearing, the ideal temp and relative humidity are 26 °C & 80 % humidity for the 3rd instar, 25 °C & 70 % humidity for the 4th instar and 24 °C & 70 % humidity for the 5th instar for the excellent growth of the late age worm rearing.
So, maintain the temp and humidity at ideal condition during these rearing stages through heating, cooling and humidifying appliances such as room heater, cooler, wet gunny cloths, charcoal stove, water sprinkling, etc. However, use of cross ventilation is best for reducing the body temp of silk-producing worms.
A special care to be taken while the molting stage. So, follow the listed below instructing during the molting stage.
The care and management in silkworm rearing include the bed cleaning, maintenance of proper hygiene and application of disinfectant to the rearing beds.
The suspected diseased and undersized worms should be discarded at the time of feeding only with chopsticks. Put these picked larvae into 2 % bleaching powder with 0.5 % slaked lime solution.
Note: During cleaning bed, do not spill the bed refuses on the platform of the worm rearing room.
Silkworms are very sensitive to the infections, pests, and diseases as like the Mushrooms. Some precautions to be taken for the proper hygiene maintenance in the rearing house. Those are:
Silkworms are very prone to infections and diseases. So, avoid all type of infections and diseases from the rearing house, proper disinfectants of rearing house and beds should be done on the regular basis. For disinfectants, Vijetha Green, Vijetha, and Ankush are some silkworm disinfectants used in the silkworm farming or rearing.
For disinfection, take the powder in a clean and thin cloth and then, dust it over the silk-producing worms at 5 gm per sq. feet, just after every molting and one on the fourth day of final instar after cleaning of bed.
Note: It is the best way to follow scheduled silkworm disinfectants to get the best results.
In silkworm farming or rearing, producing high-quality cocoons matter a lot in deciding the profit. And, High-quality montages and molting of larvae at the proper time are necessary for producing high-quality cocoons in higher quantity. On the 7th day of 5th instar, worms enter in the maturation stage and stop feeding on the leaves. After which, worm start searching for a place where they can build their cocoons.
So, picking of such larvae should be done immediately and are mounted on the montages. Take care of the stocking density of larvae (numbers) on the montages. It should not exceed the montages capacity. Also, ensure that at the spinning stage of larvae, the room temp. should be 24°C along with 70 % RH (relative humidity) and facility of good aeration should be provided.
Rotary montages are advised for producing high quality of cocoons. Around 35 sets of rotary montages are good enough for molting worms of 100 DFLs. Whereas hanging rotary montages requires a separate molting hall for cocoon production.
The complete process of silkworm rearing that is from hatching of eggs to the cocoon formation usually takes around 25 days to 27 days. Pupae become fully matures on the 5th to 6th day of the molting. So, cocoon harvesting can be carried out on the 6th day after molting to get the maximum production. Removal of defective and low-quality cocoons should be carried out.
The quality of cocoons depends on size, shape, less floss, rich milk content, more shell weight, uniform shape and building of cocoons. Depending on the quality, grade and short out the cocoon on the basis of their quality.
Note: In Colder days, carry out one day delayed harvesting.
On the next day of the harvesting i.e. 7th day, send the collected cocoons throughout cooler hours of the day. Loosely pack them in nylon netted bags having a capacity of 40 kg. Take care that the quality of cocoons does not lose in any way…
On an average, around 75 kg of yield can be easily obtained by rearing 100 DFLs. One can easily rear about 5 to 6 batch of silkworm in a single calendar year.
When it comes to yield per acre, one can easily obtain 1000 kg of cocoon production by taking care of some tasks and maintenance such as temp. RH, Hygiene, etc from a mulberry garden in a single year.
Read Also: Organic Mulberry farming For Sustainable Silk Production
