Pest Incidence, Mortality, Aestivation, Feed Intake and Growth in West African Giant Snails (Achatina Achatina) Reared Under Different Housing Systems

2014

English

A study was conducted to evaluate the performance of Achatina achatina snails reared under an indoor system (snail village complex) and two other systems (trench pen and hutch box). Snails were stocked at the rate of 1.33 kg/m2 and fed unripe pawpaw fruit as basal diet supplemented with either cocoyam leaves or pawpaw leaves using a completely randomized 3x2 factorial arrangement with three replications. Temperature, humidity, dry matter intake, weight changes, incidence of aestivation, pest and mortality were monitored in the housing systems during the study. The snail village recorded reduced cases of aestivation, mortality and pest incidence when compared with the trench pen and hutch box systems. The effect of housing type was significant (P<0.05) for total dry matter intake, total crude protein intake, total weight gain and weekly weight gain, with snails in the snail village recording best performances. The effect of feed supplement type was not significant (P>0.05) for all parameters measured. The snail village complex seemed to offer more favourable conditions for feed intake, weight gain and better protection against mortality, aestivation and pest incidence

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