Evaluation of four kinds of milk substitutes for the larvae diet of Cochliomyia Hominivorax (Coquerel)

Abstract

The Mexican-American Commission for the Eradication of Screwworm, it is currently producing an average of 100 million sterile flies per week to be sent to dispersal centers in Panama, Aruba and Jamaica, expecting to eradicate the screwworm. For this reason, and thinking of the countries that in a future will require sterile flies to eradicate the screwworm, the Mexican-American Commission is in a constant search of improvements in the production process. To achieve this objective, the commission counts with a research unit in the Methods Development Department, in charge of maintaining the strain of the fly and doing the different tests, looking for the improve of massive production of sterile screwworm flies. The commission received from Purina Company four substitute powdered milk samples to be used in the screwworm diet (Nodricina 20 Nodricina Premium 20/2 Nodricina plus 20 - 20 and milk substitute for calves), they were evaluated in a complete test to determine the existence of significant differences in the development larvae in diets that include these components. Five replicas were made, with three trays containing 16 liters per treatment, with a total of 15 trays per replica. Measuring and evaluating the parameters of the Jamaica 03 screwworm strain to determine the behavior of these substitutes in the larvae diet, and to evaluate the possible use of them.