Yao Lin Softshell Turtle

Yao Lin Softshell Turtle

　　Softshell Turtle: Also known as the Chinese pond turtle, it has long been regarded as a premium tonic food due to its benefits in nourishing yin and yang, strengthening the body, and is a highly nutritious supplement. Yao Lin Town in Tonglu County has the largest softshell turtle farming scale in the Hangzhou region and the highest farming efficiency in the province, making it the "Hometown of Softshell Turtle Farming in Zhejiang Province."

　　 　　Softshell turtles, also called turtles or Chinese pond turtles, are oviparous amphibious reptiles. They have heads resembling those of turtles, but their carapaces lack the striped pattern of turtles and instead feature soft, skirt-like edges in a dark green color. Softshell turtles often live in the mud and sand at the bottom of water bodies, feeding on small animals such as fish and shrimp, as well as fruit peels, grass, and grains. They can be found in rivers and lakes across Jiangxi Province, especially in Poyang Lake—the country’s largest freshwater lake—which has the highest population and best quality. Ten years ago, an artificial breeding base for softshell turtles was established at Dajiling Reservoir in the suburbs of Nanchang, now home to over ten thousand turtles, making it a promising farming industry.

　　 　　Softshell turtles are rich in nutrients, containing protein, fat, calcium, iron, animal gelatin, keratin, and various vitamins, making them an exceptional tonic. They are also used in traditional medicine: their shells can nourish yin and yang, disperse nodules, and calm the liver, treating conditions such as coughs, night sweats, kidney deficiency, and amenorrhea. Their bile helps treat high blood pressure, their eggs relieve chronic diarrhea, and their blood is used for pediatric malnutrition. Folklore even claims they can help cure cancer.

　　 Nutrition Analysis

　　 　　1. The meat of softshell turtles and its extracts can effectively prevent and inhibit liver cancer, gastric cancer, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and are used to address weakness, anemia, and reduced white blood cells caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

　　 　　2. Softshell turtles also have good blood-purifying effects. Regular consumption can lower blood cholesterol, thus benefiting those with hypertension and coronary heart disease.

　　 　　3. Softshell turtles can also “replenish exhaustion, strengthen yang energy, and greatly supplement deficiencies in yin.”

　　 　　4. Eating softshell turtles can also provide some auxiliary therapeutic effects for illnesses such as tuberculosis, anemia, and general physical weakness.

　　 Nutritional Value of Softshell Turtles

　　 　　Edible Value

　　 　　Ancient Chinese records have long mentioned that “turtles can replenish exhaustion, strengthen yang energy, and greatly supplement deficiencies in yin,” and they have been regarded as a nutritious health supplement since ancient times. The nutritional value of turtles is universally acknowledged; they are a delicacy among aquatic products, a fine dish for upscale banquets, and a popular food loved by many. Not only are they delicious, high in protein, and low in fat, but they are also a premium tonic rich in various vitamins and trace elements. Depending on the species and habitat, their nutritional content may vary slightly. According to analysis, every 100 grams of fresh turtle meat contains: 73–83 grams of water, 15.3–17.3 grams of protein, 0.1–3.5 grams of fat, 1.6–1.49 grams of carbohydrates, 0.9–1 gram of ash, 3.9 milligrams of magnesium, 1–107 milligrams of calcium, 1.4–4.3 milligrams of iron, 0.54–430 milligrams of phosphorus, 13–20 international units of vitamin A, 0.02 milligrams of vitamin B1, 0.037–0.047 milligrams of vitamin B2, 3.7–7 milligrams of niacin, 0.62 milligrams of thiamine, 0.37 milligrams of riboflavin, and 288–744 kilojoules of calories. Turtle fat is mainly unsaturated fatty acids, accounting for 75.43%, including 32.4% highly unsaturated fatty acids—6.54 times that of beef and 2.54 times that of tilapia. Trace elements such as iron are several to dozens of times higher than in other foods.

　　 　　Medicinal Value

　　 　　Every part of the turtle is valuable—its head, shell, bones, meat, eggs, bile, and fat can all be used in medicine. The *Names of Prescriptions* states that turtle meat can benefit the spleen and boost qi. According to *Compendium of Materia Medica*, turtle meat has multiple benefits such as nourishing yin and kidney, clearing heat and resolving stasis, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and can treat conditions like deficiency fatigue, night sweats, yin deficiency with yang hyperactivity, back and leg pain, chronic diarrhea, pediatric convulsions, women’s amenorrhea, and difficult labor. *Daily Use Materia Medica* believes turtle blood applied externally can treat facial nerves, relieve stroke-induced thirst and deficiency fever, and treat bone tuberculosis. Turtle blood contains animal gelatin, keratin, iodine, and vitamin D, which can nourish, subdue yang, enrich blood, reduce swelling, and calm liver fire. It treats cirrhosis and hepatosplenomegaly, as well as amenorrhea, uterine bleeding, and pediatric epilepsy. Turtle bile treats hemorrhoids. Turtle eggs treat chronic dysentery. Turtle head, dried and ground into powder, mixed with yellow wine, can treat rectal prolapse. Turtle fat nourishes yin and yang and treats gray hair. Modern science shows turtles are rich in vitamin A, vitamin E, collagen, various amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, and trace elements, which can enhance immune function, promote metabolism, strengthen disease resistance, beautify skin, and delay aging.

　　 Raising Softshell Turtles

　　 　　1. Placement and Cleaning of Feeding Platforms: Feeding platforms should ideally be placed around the edges of the breeding pool, angled 30–45 degrees to the water surface, which helps turtles find food and avoid disturbances. Before each feeding, clean the platform and its surroundings with a low-irritation disinfectant and sterilized brush, disinfecting once every three days.

　　 　　2. Preparation and Feeding of Feed: The addition of fresh feed typically ranges from 10% to 40%. When using fresh feed, it must be disinfected, cleaned, and prepared fresh to avoid spoilage. Feed should be distributed in a way that keeps it 2–3 centimeters above the water surface. Turtles are timid, so minimize disturbances during feeding. The amount fed should be consumed within 1–1.5 hours, and any leftovers should be promptly collected for other uses. During hot seasons, feeding is best done before sunrise and at sunset.

　　 　　3. Water Quality Regulation: The breeding water should be regularly changed and cleaned. Each water change should not exceed one-third of the total volume. If possible, using a micro-flow system yields better results. During the breeding process, regularly use disinfectants such as chlorine dioxide at 0.5–1 ppm, bleaching powder at 2–3 ppm, strong chlorine at 1–2 ppm, and quicklime at 15–40 ppm to disinfect the entire pool. Two to three days after applying these, add about 5 ppm of photosynthetic bacteria preparations to the whole pool to regulate the water—doing this once or twice a month is sufficient.

　　 　　4. Planting Vegetation on the Water Surface and Building Basking Platforms: In the pond, enclose a 1.5-meter square frame about 1 meter from the feeding platform and plant water hyacinth. Water hyacinth has developed roots that absorb harmful substances in the water, helping regulate water quality, while also providing turtles with hiding spots, basking areas, and shade. For ponds with limited slope space, build basking platforms in the water.

　　 　　5. Regular Pond Patrols and Prompt Removal of Sick or Dead Turtles: Patrols are essential to monitor turtles’ feeding, growth, health, water quality, and facility conditions. Dead turtles should be promptly removed, buried deeply, or incinerated, and sick turtles should be isolated and treated immediately.