COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SNAIL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS USING CROPS AS COVER: GROWTH PARAMETERS AS INDICATORS

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the different snail production systems using crops as cover. Open and screened paddocks systems of rearing snails were compared with the conventional snailery. The conventional system involved raising snails in pens. In the open and screened paddocks, leaves from four different plants (Pueraria phaseoloides, Centrosema mole, Calapogonium mucunoides and Manihot esculenta) commonly called Puereria, Centrosema, Calapogonium and Cassava, respectively. were cultivated to simulate the natural environment of the snails. A total number of three hundred and twenty (320) apparently healthy Archachatina marginata with liveweight between 50 to 60 g were used in the study, which was laid out in a 2 X 4 factorial in Randomized Complete Block Design with four replicates. Data collected on body weight changes were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using GenStat version 12.0 statistical software. Significant level was taken at P < 0.05. The conduct of the study spanned through three climatic conductions (0 week -Cold wet; 6 weeks -Cold dry; 12 weeks - Hot dry). There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the body weight of the snails among the four cover treatments when compared on the basis of the production systems. The snails in the Calapogonium, Centrosema, Puereria and Cassava screened paddock recorded 10.75, 5.90, 5.63 and 4.43 g body weight gain, respectively while the snails reared under the open paddock in Calapogonium, Pueraria, Centrosema and Cassava had weight gain of 4.28, 3.7, 2.9 and -2.8 g, respectively. The snails in the conventional paddock had an average weight gain of 6.5 g. It is therefore evident that weight gain and other performance indices of snail is a function of the nutritional composition of their diet and the environment in which they are reared.