Evaluation of mulberry branch powder as feed ingredient for the development of an artificial diet for the silkworm, Bombyx mori
1991
Yanagawa, H. (National Inst. of Sericultural and Entomological Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan)) | Watanabe, K. | Nakamura, M. | Horie, Y.
It has been reported that an artificial diet containing cellulose powder allows silkworm larvae to grow and develop more rapidly, although the larvae do not utilize cellulose. The effectiveness of cellulose is caused mainly by other factors than the nutrients contained in it, and it is considered that the addition of cellulose improves the physical properties of the diet. On the other hand, a large amount of mulberry branches is produced in silkworm rearing farms, and about 1,000,000 tons of mulberry branches are discarded every year. The present paper deals with the effect of either steamed or heated mulberry branch powder as feed ingredient in the artificial diet on larval growth and cocoon qualities of the silkworm. The addition of steamed or heated mulberry branch powder instead of purified cellulose powder to the artificial diet resulted in adequate growth and development of the larvae, and there was little difference among the preparations. It is very important that the feed ingredients do not any inhibit larval feeding of the silkworm. It is concluded that the utilization of mulberry branch powder as feed ingredient is suitable for the artificial diet of the silkworm, when the material is obtained under shadow cost
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