Leech breeding methods and techniques

Leeches, also known as leeches, can be found in wild rice fields, but the number of wild leeches for medicinal purposes is far from enough, so many areas have developed artificial breeding . Here are some tips and techniques for breeding leeches.

1. Site selection for breeding ponds

Build a pond in a place where drainage and irrigation are convenient, sheltered from the wind and facing the sun. The water inlet and drainage outlet should be set up at the diagonals of the pond. The breeding pond should be sheltered from the wind and facing the sun. The breeding pond can be used as a place for leeches to rest, such as stones .

2. Seedling placement

When choosing seedlings, they should be strong, undamaged and large in size. Common leech breeding varieties include golden leeches, brown leeches, etc. The stocking density is about 10,000 per cubic meter.

3. Feeding

The staple food of leeches is snails, clams, frogs, turtles , earthworms and the blood of mammals. When artificially bred, the blood of various animals can be mixed with feed, grass meal, or feces. 25 kilograms of live snails can be released at one time per acre, and leeches can be allowed to feed freely. Animal blood is generally fed once a week.

4. Water quality management

The water quality must be adjusted when raising leeches. Although leeches can grow in sewage, if the density of artificial breeding is high, the water quality must be kept fresh, and a certain amount of dissolved oxygen must be ensured. When the oxygen content in the water is lower than 2 mg/L, leeches will float to the surface. The water temperature is relatively high in summer, so pay attention to proper water changes.

5. Overwintering

Leeches are very cold-resistant and are generally not easily frozen to death. Under natural conditions, when the temperature drops below 10℃, they stop eating and burrow into the mud to hibernate. For artificial breeding, you can cover the pond with straw to help it overwinter naturally. This method saves time and labor and is suitable for large-scale commercial leech breeding.

6. Natural enemies and disease prevention

The natural enemies of leeches are mainly voles, frogs, weasels , snakes, etc. They can be trapped using electric nets or tools . Generally speaking, leeches have strong vitality and are basically disease-free. As long as the water source is not polluted by fertilizers, pesticides, or saline-alkaline solutions, the water inlet and outlet are kept unobstructed, the food is fresh, the feed residues are removed in time, and the water is changed frequently, they can be kept well. Otherwise, skin diseases and intestinal diseases may occur.

That’s it