SURVIVAL, GROWTH AND MULTIPLICATION OF RED COMPOST WORM EISENIA FOETIDA (SAVIGNY) ON ORGANIC WASTES OF DIFFERENT ANIMAL SOURCES

Survival, growth and multiplication of red compost worm Eisenia foetida (Savigny) were recorded on organic wastes of animal sources viz. goat, cow and buffalo dung. Longevity of survival of worm was recorded under similar climatic conditions. Cent percent survival of E. foetida were recorded in goat dung, 95% in cow dung and 90% in buffalo dung after four weeks of inoculation. The mean body length of E. foetida cultured in these forms of diet did not vary significantly whereas mean body length of Worms was maximum in goat dung (60.8 mm) and minimum in buffalo dung (60.2 mm). On the other hand, the maximum mean body length of juveniles were also recorded maximum in goat dung (20.6 mm) and the minimum in buffalo dung (19.2 mm). There was a gradual increase in mean body length of the adult worm and juveniles in three forms of diet. The mean body weight of Worms was maximum in goat dung (83.8 mg), than in cow dung (80.6 mg) and buffalo dung (81.4 mg). It was observed that mean weight of worms increases slowly (2.8, 1.6, 2.6%) during initial 15 days (2 weeks) of development and rapid (6.5, 5.8, 6.8%) from 16th day upto 4th week of record in goat, cow and buffalo dung, respectively.