INVERCARGILL - Worms can solve some dairy farm effluent problems, say Central Otago worm farmers Gray and Jill Campbell.
The couple, who have been worm farming for almost three years near Chatto Creek on State Highway 85 east of Alexandra, believe using worms to process cow manure could be a winner.
"We
keep hearing about farmers' problems with dairy effluent," Mr Campbell said. "We are keen to do a few trials."
The Campbells are under contract to supply a North Island company with 49kg of worms a week for waste management but that contract is due to end soon.
Mr Campbell said dairy farmers in the Maniototo and West Otago and a further 10 to 12 Central Otago worm growers were interested in the couple's idea.
Decisions on the best method of using worms on a dairy farm would be made after the trials.
"Worms are used for waste management overseas so there is no reason it can't be done here," he said.
"A tonne of worms could eat a tonne of biodegradable waste a day, producing about 40 per cent of their diet as a soil conditioner, vermacast [which could go on paddocks]."
The Campbells harvest 3kg of worms for each square metre of their 260 sq m of worm beds. A kilogram provides about 4000 mature worms.
The worms breed from three months on, producing an egg capsule containing five to 20 eggs every three weeks.
Mr Campbell said the breeders hoped to supply dairy farmers with up to 500kg of worms a week.
- NZPA
