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Muscine — Description

When it comes to raising livestock, farmers take into consideration what each potential species provides. What is it that you want to sell? What market is the most profitable at this time? What can you reasonably raise with the setup you currently have? These are all questions to consider, and the answers will lead one to the livestock right for them. There are species that are excellent sources of meat, some that provide finer cuts for a higher price. Then there are those that provide eggs, or Milk or other fluid. Of course, livestock doesn't have to just give out food, as there are those that can be harvested for hair, bone and other such goods. Many species with many options to consider! And then there is the muscine. It can provide stuff, for sure, but that isn't its selling point. Because when people choose the muscine, they are sold on its one major trait: it eats garbage.
While other livestock have dietary preferences, requiring sufficient grazing or feeding schedules, the muscine wins points by feeding on whatever Rot is thrown to it. This is quite literal, as the muscine can, and will, eat straight up Rot. The muscine is a large flightless fly that maintains its role as a scavenger and all around environmental cleaner. They scurry about on six legs, following the scent of food that is picked up by antenna and the specialized organ on their back. This allows them to detect even the faintest whiff upon the wind, or sense goodies buried in the soil. Tusk-like protrusions are used to dig through soil and muck, all to reach the real nutritious stuff. A sponge-like proboscis is unfolded, dripping with digestive enzyme. They use it to slurp up their food, taking in every bit of nutrition they can get. Hide, hair, discarded peels, dung and straight up Rot can be consumed, which means it is very easy for a farmer to provide for their bugs. For sure, they do better with a healthy and steady diet, but they can survive on a family's scraps, which is crucial in lean times.
What the muscine provides from its garbage diet is eggs, and a plentiful amount too! Their abdomens swell up with a whole load of them, making them reliable producers. Normally, such eggs are laid in nutritious muck so that they develop, but farmers dig them out and sell them. Some may wait for them to hatch and harvest the maggots, but that depends on the goods you wish to sell. A muscine can provide a decent amount of egg and meat, which isn't too shabby when they live in muck and eat leftovers. When their egg laying days are passed, they can be harvested for meat as well, though folk often view the flesh of a muscine as one of its lesser products. It is edible, but the years and garbage diet impart a strong flavor to its meat. However, there are special breeders that give them real food and better living conditions, which in turn makes tastier meat. It all depends on what you are looking to sell. But in quite a few cases, it isn't about selling, it is more about feeding the family. A single muscine can give a fair amount of eggs for a household, which is great for folk who are just trying to get by.
Due to their diet and lifestyle, the muscine are viewed as dirty scavengers that care for nothing else but eating everything in front of them. This isn't helped by the fact that some people have used pens full of muscine to dispose of bodies, or that muscine will feed on the injured or dying if they get the chance. However, those who have raised them have noted that there is a bit more to these flies. They claim that there is a genuine sense of curiosity when they come across new things, and they do seem to partake in both personal and social grooming. Such acts of cleanliness are often interpreted as the muscine ravenously trying to lap up every bit of food and dirt. While they do mainly clean and interact with their absorbing mouth, there does seem to be some care behind it. Such behaviors are seen a lot more in breeds that are kept as pets, though there are still plenty of folk who find such practice odd.
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Oh wow, is that like, four whole entries in a row? Well I'll be! Looks like we are starting to make a dent in this backlo- *dumps eight new drawings into backlog* OH GOD DA-