Growth performance and carcass characteristics of African Giant Land Snail (Archachatina marginata) fed different dietary protein supplements

Abstract

To produce high growth rate and improve carcass quality in Archachatina marginata, this study was carried out to determine which protein source would supplement pawpaw (Carica papaya) leaves in their diets. Five diets of 20% crude protein level each, were formulated. Diet 1, was fresh leaves of pawpaw alone as control. Diets 2, 3, 4 and 5 contained in addition to processed pawpaw leaves, groundnut cake, fishmeal, soybean meal and their combinations respectively. 150 snails were allotted to five dietary treatments, replicated 3 times with 10 snails/replicate, in a Completely Randomized Design. Weight of snails and feed intake were monitored weekly. Shell parameters were measured at the start and end of study. After 10 weeks, 2 snails per replicate were randomly selected, starved for 24hrs and sacrificed for carcass analysis. Proximate analysis of feed and flesh of snails were done according to Official Methods of Analysis. Data collected were analysed using Analysis of variance in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20. Results revealed that total feed intake was highest (p<0.05) in snails fed diet 1 (93.57±8.81g) and least in snails fed diet 4 (42.35±3.64g). Snails fed diets 4 and 5 gained more weight 16.73±4.32g and 15.67±2.35g respectively (p<0.05) than those fed diets 2 (1.00±9.17g) and 3 (1.63±8.79g). Snails fed diets 3, 4 and 5 produced more meat (p<0.05) than those fed diet 1. The result suggests that protein supplement from soybean meal and a combination of groundnut cake, fish meal and soybean meal elicited higher growth performance and carcass yield in Archachatina marginata than pawpaw leaves alone. Diets 4 and 5 were therefore recommended for adoption by snail farmers.

Key words: Growth performance; Carcass characteristics, Archachatina marginata, Protein supplements