GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND REPRODUCTIVE QUALITIES OF BREEDER SNAILS (Archachatina marginata) FED DIFFERENT SOURCES OF PROTEIN

Résumé

This research was conducted to compare the effects of different protein sources, soyabean meal (SBM), cottonseed meal (CSM), and groundnut cake (GNC) fed to breeder snails. The snails were eight (8) months old with an initial average weight of 98.93g, and the experiment lasted for 12 weeks. Sixty (60) Archachatina marginata breeder snails were randomly selected and divided into 4 groups of fifteen (15) snails per treatment which were replicated three (3) times in each of the groups. The parameter examined were growth performance, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and reproductive characteristics. Data collected were analyzed by the use of a one-way analysis of variance and significant means were separated with the Duncan Multiple Ranged Test at a 5% level of probability using SAS, 2011. The study revealed that soya bean meal (SBM) supports higher final body weight, body weight gain, and percentage fertility, while soyabean meal and cottonseed meal had higher percentage hatchability. However, no significant (P>0.05) differences were recorded in the final shell circumference, shell circumference gain, shell length, and shell length gain. It was concluded that compounded feed with soyabean meal as the main protein source aided fast growth and better product performance.