Effect of Formulated Diets on Growth and Reproductive Performance of the West African Giant Snail (Achatina Achatina

2014

English

Two experiments were conducted to assess the effect of three poultry diets on growth and reproductive performance of Achatina achatina snails. In the first experiment 120 juvenile snails in groups of ten were fed four experimental diets for a period of 182 days. The treatments were T1-Broiler starter, T2-Grower mash, T3-Layer mash and T4 Unripe pawpaw fruits. The Completely Randomised Design was used with four treatments and each replicated three times. The second experiment involved 120 adult snails fed the four diets using the same experimental design. The results revealed that juvenile snails fed on broiler starter diet (T1) had significantly (P<0.05) higher performance in terms of monthly feed intake, final weight, monthly weight gain, specific growth rate, monthly shell increment, while pawpaw fruit diet (T4) recorded the least. Adult snails fed broiler starter diet (T1) recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher mean values for all parameters measured. T3 and T4 were, however, similar (P>0.05) in terms of feed intake, final weight, weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Feed intake seemed to follow a trend in the adult snails; feed intake increased as protein content of feed increased. No significant differences (P>0.05) were observed in the adult snails in terms of total eggs laid and egg length; however, egg weight and egg width were found to be significantly higher (P<0.05) for snails fed layer mash (T3). Therefore, the broiler starter (T1) could be fed to growing snails to improve performance whereas the layer mash (T3) could be fed to enhance reproductive performance in Achatina achatina.

Nyameasem, J. K.; Borketey-La, E. B.