AMINO ACID PROFIL OF EARTHWORM AND EARTHWORM M AL (Lumbricus rubellus )FOR ANIMAL F DSTUFF

Abstract

Earthworm meal (Lumbricus rubellus has become one of natural material that could be used as feed additive.Powdering method of earthworm was done by using formic acid addition.The study was carried out (1)to evaluate the essential amino acid profile of earthworm and earthworm meal,(2)to calculate the value of essential amino acid index (EAAI of both materials.A modified EAAI equation was developed from the essential amino acid profile of earthworm and earthworm meal.The result showed that essential amino acid of earthworm was dominated by histidine (0.63%of dry matter basis , meanwhile the earthworm meal was dominated by isoleucine (1.98%of dry matter basis .The non essential amino acid of earthworm and earthworm meal was dominated by glutamic acid (1.52%and 3.60%of dry matter basis respectively).The value of essential amino acid index obtained from earthworm meal was higher (58.67%than those from earthworm (21.23%.It is concluded that powdering method of earthworm by using formic acid addition had higher amino acid balance than earthworm. Keywords:amino acid,earthworm meal,feed additive L.rubellus