Page | 1 RECYCLING FECES OF SILKWORM BY FEEDING COWS INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENTIAL SCHOOL DUSHANBE 2016
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RECYCLING FECES
OF SILKWORM BY
FEEDING COWS
INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENTIAL SCHOOL
DUSHANBE 2016
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CONTENTS
1. Editor and advisory 3
2. Abstract 4
3. Introduction 4
4. Methods 6
1. ANALYZING COWS’ MILK FOR CONTROL 7
a. Density test 8
b. Acidity test 9
c. Butter-fat test 10
2. ANALYZING COWS’ MILK FOR TEST 11
6. Results
a. Result of density test 12
b. Results of acidity test 13
c. Results of butter-fat test 14
7. Conclusion 15
8. References 16
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EDITOR AND ADVISORY
Hüsnü Yaman
Biology Teacher at International Presidential School
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RECYCLING FECES OF SILKWORM BY FEEDING COWS
INTRODUCTION
This project is about how to evaluate feces of silkworm.
Does it really worth to use it as a fodder of cattle.
The silkworm is the larva or caterpillar of a moth. It is
domesticated and still being breed by humans. Silkworms
eat mulberry leaves. Silk has been used for at least 5000 years
in China.
One female silkworm lays 300 eggs on the leaves of
mulberry leaves. In spring in a temperature of 18-25 0C, eggs
hatch into larvae. These Larvae produce a round black feces as they eat leaves.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Bombycidae
Genus: Bombyx
Binomial name
Bombyx mori Linnaeus, 1758
ABSTRACT
Silkworm eats leaves of mulberry, produces silk and removing feces. It is not used and
thrown as waste.
We started this project for making use of feces of silkworm. We found that it is not only
a recyclable waste but also is very beneficial for feeding cows.
Our hypothesis is ‘feces of silkworm can be used as fodder for cows and it increase
quality of milk’.
We observed quality of milk in three steps: Density test, acidity test and butterfat test.
We determined five cows. We fed them with bran and straw for two days. Next we took
milk of them for quality test. Then we fed them with feces of silkworm and straw for two days
again. We milked them and tested their milk again.
After taking result of test, the expected results in density, acidity and 5% increase in
butterfat content of milk proved that our hypothesis is correct.
Feces of silkworm can also be used for putting on weight for calf and keeping their body
hot in winter.
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Feces of larvae are cylinder-shaped particles, 2 to 5mm long, 1.5 to 5mm in
diameter. The surface is grey, rough and it smells like fresh grass.
Tens or hundreds of larvae do not produce too much feces but hundreds kilos of
feces are being produced from millions of silkworm in one season. This amount of feces
encouraged us to find a way of recycling and returning it to profit of Tajikistan.
After collecting some data about feces of silkworm we found that feces is unlike the
waste of other animals. It had been used as a medical remedy by Chinese people before
many years. So we proposed an hypothesis about recycling of feces of silkworm:
‘Feces of silkworm can be used as a
fodder for cows and it increase the quality of
milk.’
In order to examine our hypothesis, we made
milk quality control before and after feeding
cows with feces of silkworm. Milk quality
control involve testing chemical composition and
purity of milk.
In quality control we used following tests:
1. Density of milk
2. Acidity of milk
3. Butterfat content of milk
Steps of our project:
1. Cows’ milk quality analysis for control
2. Cows’ milk quality analysis for test
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METHODS
1. COWS’ MILK QUALITY ANALYSIS FOR CONTROL
A. Density test:
Aim: To find out density of milk
B. Acidity test:
Aim: To measure amount of lactic acid produced by bacteria
C: Butterfat test
Aim: To detect amount of butter in milk.
2. MILK QUALITY ANALYSIS FOR TEST
I. Milking cows after feeding with feces of silkworm.
II. Quality analysis for test
Aim: To understand how feces of silkworm affects the quality of milk.
A. Density test:
B. Acidity test:
C: Butterfat test
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METHODS
1. ANALYZING COWS’ MILK FOR CONTROL
Feed cows with 600gr bran and 1000gr straw in the morning and in afternoon. Than
take milk samples after 2 days feeding.
1. We had 5 cows fed for two days with 1 kg straw and 0.5 kg bran 2 times a day.
2. After 2 days feeding we took sample milk in bottles from 5 cows.
3. Then we made following tests.
1. DENSITY TEST
MATERIALS:
Sensitive scale Graduated cylinder Beaker
Milk Calculator
PROCEDURE:
1. Take 100ml in a graduated cylinder
2. Measure the mass of this milk on a
scale.
3. Calculate the density of milk by using
following formula.
𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠/𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
4. Calculate density of each cow’s milk by using above method.
5. Write results on a table.
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2. ACIDITY TEST
MATERIALS
1. You need a buret
2. A medicine dropper for phenophthalein
3. An erlenmeyer flask or similar
4. 0.1 N NaOH solution
5. Phenolphthalein indicator solution, 0.5% in 50% Alcohol
PROCEDURE
1. Fill your buret with NaOH,
2. Measure 10ml of your milk based on
your NaOH normality into an Erlenmeyer.
3. Drop 3 drops of phenophthalein with the
help of medicine dropper into the
erlenmeyer and mix/swirl the erlenmeyer
4. Open the cock on your buret and start
dropping the NaOH solution into
erlenmeyer till you get a constant light pink
color, shake after each drop.
6. Once you get a light pink color, stop the
NaOH dropping and measure/read how
much NaOH you used on your buret’s
markings.
CALCULATION:
1,7 ml of N/10 NaOH are required for titration of a 10 ml sample of milk.
10 x 1.7 = 17 ml would therefore be needed for 100 ml, and the acidity is 17 0Th
% Lactic acid: Number of ml of NaOH required to make milk pink.
% Lactic acid: 2,6 x100/10
% Lactic acid: 26 0Th
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3. BUTTERFAT TEST
Material Required: - Milk
- Sulfuric acid (density 1.825 g/L)
- Amyl alcohol (density 0.815 g/L)
Apparatus: - Gerber butyrometer for
milk and appropriate corks;
- Shelf for butyrometer;
- Volumetric pipette (10 and 11 mL);
- Gerber centrifuge;
Procedure:
1. Carefully dispense 10 ml of sulphuric acid
into the butyrometer;
2. Carefully add 11 mL milk to the
butyrometer, by letting it to slowly
flow down the glass walls in order to
it does not mix with the acid;
3. Dispense 1 ml of amyl alcohol
4. Clean the neck of the butyrometer;
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5. Stopper the butyrometer tightly using a
clean, dry stopper.
6. Shake and invert the butyrometer several
times until all the milk has been absorbed
by the acid.
7. Place the butyrometer in a water bath at
65-75°C for 5 minutes. mixing content
from time to time
8. Centrifuge for 4 to 5 minutes at 1200
rpm in the Gerber centrifuge
9. Remove the butyrometer of the
centrifuge adjust the meniscus by putting
back into hot water.
10. Read out fat content from low part of
upper meniscus.
11. Do the same procedure for other milk samples.
12. Write your results in a table.
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2. MILK QUALITY ANALYSIS FOR TEST
Feed cows with 600gr feces of silkworm and 1000gr straw in the morning and in
afternoon. After 2 days feeding take sample milk from 5 cows. Next carry out following
tests again.
A. Density test:
B. Acidity test:
C: Butterfat test
Write your results in three consecutive tables.
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RESULTS
1. RESULTS OF DENSITY TEST
Milk samples
Control g/L Test g/L Expected Average g/L
1st 1.032 1.030 1.027-1.032
2nd 1.018 1.029 1.027- 1.032
3rd 1.029 1.027 1.027- 1.032
4th 1.029 1,032 1.027- 1.032
5th 1.029 1,028 1.027- 1.032
After feeding cows with feces all results of test group have regular and standard densities
which are in range of expected values.
1,010
1,015
1,020
1,025
1,030
1,035
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
De
nsi
tie
s
Milk samples
DENSITY TEST
Control g/ml Test g/ml
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2. RESULTS OF ACIDITY TEST
Milk samples
Control Test Expected Average
1st 260Th 190Th 15-190Th
2nd 160Th 200Th 15-190Th
3rd 240Th 180Th 15-190Th
4th 190Th 250Th 15-190Th
5th 210Th 220Th 15-190Th
Thörner degrees of acidity indicate the number of ml of a 0.1 n NAOH solution required to
neutralize 100 ml of milk to which two parts of water have been added.
In test group except 4th milk sample acidity is low. Feeding cows with feces of caterpillar
decreased acidity in common. 4th cow didn’t like and ate little feces of caterpillar. So
acidity of its milk resulted higher than other milk.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Aci
dit
y
Milk samples
ACIDITY TEST
Control Th Test Th
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3. RESULT OF BUTTER-FAT TEST
Milk samples Control (%) Test (%) Expected Average
1st 4,5 10 3.2- 6.0 %
2nd 8,0 10 3.2- 6.0 %
3rd 7,0 10 3.2- 6.0 %
4th 15 22 3.2- 6.0 %
5th 15 22 3.2- 6.0 %
Fat content of milk changes according to feeding behavior of cow. Higher fat content
increases quality and prices of milk. After feeding cows with feces of silkworm fat content
of milk samples increased by 5-7 percent.
0
5
10
15
20
25
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Pe
rce
tage
of
fat
Milk samples
BUTTER-FAT TEST
Control (%) Test (%)
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CONCLUSION
All test results were perfect. In average 5% increase in butterfat test proves that our
hypothesis is correct. Feces of silkworm has increased the quality of milk.
Density of a high quality milk should not be lower than 1.027 g/L and higher than
1.032. 87-88 % of milk is water. 11-12 % are protein, lactose, fat and minerals. Protein
content increase and fat content decreases the density of milk. Density test showed us
feeding cows with feces of silkworm keep density in expected values.
A high quality milk has low acidity between 15-190Th. Acidity is closer to normal in
test group than control group. It is also affected from container and keeping milk for some
time before analyze. Some normal acidity results also enough for using feces as fodder.
Feces of silkworm is also nutritive for putting on weight for calf. It is used as fodder
to keep body of cattle warm in winter.
It was also used in Ancient China as a medical remedy. It is found that this feces
include chlorophyll, cholesterol, amino acid carotene (vitamin A), vitamin B and vitamin
C. It was used for patients who has diarrhea, vomiting spasm and eczema. May be in the
future it will be a new remedy for animals and human.
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REFERENCES
1. Silkworm Wikipedia the free encyclopedia https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silkworm 22
November 2015
2. Feces of silkworm Silkworm store http://www.silkwormstore.co.uk/guide-to-raising-
silkworms.html
3. Silkworms Pisches enterprises http://www.piscesenterprises.com
4. Feces of silkworm Chinese Herbs Healing http://www.chineseherbshealing.com/bombyx-mori-
feces-can-sha/
5. Milk testing and Quality Control
http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/resources/documents/MPGuide/mpguide2.htm
6. Milk density test Density of Milk
http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2002/AliciaNoelleJones.shtml
7. Determination of Fat in Milking My Agriculture Information bank
http://agriinfo.in/?page=topic&superid=9&topicid=715 2015
8. Fat testing, Gerber test
http://d163axztg8am2h.cloudfront.net/static/doc/7f/7f/9756948ececbee03519aedce50a5.pdf
9. Determination of milk fat http://karnet.up.wroc.pl/~rak/pliki/eng/milk_class__2_eng.pdf
10. Determination of raw milk quality http://karnet.up.wroc.pl/~rak/pliki/eng/milk_class__1_eng.pdf
11. Manual on milk safety- quality and hygiene
http://www.gartzambia.org/files/Download/Dairy%20manual%20-%20Milk%20quality.pdf May 2011
12. Dairy Technology http://www.apv-
tapflo.ro/userfiles/file/Dairy_Technology_9002_01_07_2008_GB.pdf
13. Babcock test https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babcock_test 1 December 2015
14. Fat content of milk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_content_of_milk 22 September 2015
15. Butterfat content impacts milk prices
https://extension.usu.edu/cache/files/uploads/BUTTERFAT%20CONTENT%20IMPACTS%20MILK%2
0PRICES12-10.pdf
16. Density of Milk http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2002/AliciaNoelleJones.shtml Alicia Noelle Jones --
2002
17. Milk chemistry https://www.ilri.org/InfoServ/Webpub/fulldocs/ilca_manual4/Milkchemistry.htm
18. Determination of Activity of Milk http://agriinfo.in/?page=topic&superid=9&topicid=716 2015
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19. MANUAL OF METHODS OF ANALYSIS OF FOODS
http://mohfw.nic.in/WriteReadData/l892s/Milk%20and%20Milk%20Products%20-%20final%20-
%20nov%2005-21198200.pdf