Feasibility and optimisation study for modular cricket farming and harvesting system.

Oko Protein LTD、诺丁汉大学生物科学学院和非营利的食品和饮料论坛正在联手使英国成为新兴的数十亿磅食用昆虫产业的世界领导者。Oko Box是Oko Protein LTD开发的一种独特的模块化集约化养殖系统，用于可持续地养殖蟋蟀供人类食用。重要的是，它利用蟋蟀的运动来产生热量，从而降低了大部分劳动力成本，从而降低了能源成本。四个连续的原型已经手工制造和测试，证明了该系统的根本创新。与传统方法相比，Oko Box：* 输出成本降低5- 6倍 * 资本支出减少4倍 * 设置时间减少50倍 * 不需要室内设施 * 需要更少的能源和更低的碳足迹 * 是唯一的系统，不需要在收获期间破坏栖息地 * 不需要加热 * 是收获周期内的净热量生产者（其他系统需要加热）* 易于使用 * 可由个体农民使用（不需要巨额投资）该项目旨在确认Oko Box在商业层面上的可行性。将在户外建立一个14个Oko Box的示范农场，以测试和优化各种因素，包括：* 温度 * 气流 * 饲料成分和混合 * 饲料量 * 种群大小 * 收获年龄 * 一个农民可管理的盒子数量 * 栖息地间距将探索和测试饲料的循环和可持续选择。我们将监测对劳动力、能源、饲料和水的需求，以及随后的蟋蟀产量和营养价值。由于Oko Box会产生热量，我们还将探索其作为温室补充热源的可行性。在项目结束时，我们的目标是证明Oko Box生产蛋白质的能力，其价格与现有的形式，如大豆，肉类和牛奶。我们还将为农民制作说明和培训材料，让他们以最低成本获得最大产量的方式多样化和利用Oko Box。

Oko Protein LTD, the University of Nottingham school of Biosciences, and the non-profit Food & Drink Forum are teaming up to make the UK a world-leader in the emerging multi-billion pound edible insect industry.The Oko Box is a unique modular intensive farming system developed by Oko Protein LTD to affordably and sustainably farm crickets for human consumption. Importantly it eliminates most labour costs by exploiting the behaviour of the crickets, with their movement being utilised to generate heat, thereby cutting energy costs.Four successive prototypes have been hand-built and tested, proving the fundamental innovations of the system. The Oko Box compared to traditional methods :* 5-6x reduction in output costs* 4x reduction in capital outlay* 50x reduction in setup time* Requires no indoor facility* Requires less energy and has a lower carbon footprint* Is the only system not to require deconstruction of habitat during harvest* Requires no dehumidification* Is a net producer of heat over a harvest cycle (other systems require heating)* Is easy to use* Can be used by individual farmers (doesn't require huge investment)The project aims to confirm the feasibility of the Oko Box on a commercial level. A showcase farm of 14 Oko Boxes will be set up in an outdoor location to test and optimise various factors including:* temperature* airflow* feed ingredients and blend* feed amount* population size* harvest age* number of boxes manageable by one farmer* habitat spacingCircular and sustainable options for feed will be explored and tested. Inputs such as labour, energy, feed and water requirements will be monitored, as well as subsequent yield and nutritional value of the crickets.Since the Oko Box produces heat, we will also explore its feasibility as a supplementary heat source for greenhouses.By the end of the project we aim to demonstrate the ability of the Oko Box to produce protein at prices that are comparable to, or better than, existing forms such as soya, meat and milk. We will also produce instructions and training materials for farmers allowing them to diversify and utilise the Oko Box in a way that produces maximum yield at minimal cost.