Growth performances of giant African land snail (Achatina achatina) fed by formulated diet with different energy level

Abstract

In order to assess the effect of energy level on the growth performances of giant African land snails (Achatina achatina), a study was conducted between September 2015 and January 2017 at the snailery of the University of Buea-Cameroon. 90 young snails of one month old, weighing between 1 and 1.5 g, of shell length between 15.5-23.85 mm and shell diameter between 12.60-16.85 mm and free from wounds or shell defects were divided into 3 groups of 5 snails each and 6 replicates in cages equipped with feeders and drinking troughs. Each treatment was randomly assigned one of the experimental feed with variable energy levels (2600, 2800 and 3000 kcal/kg) in addition to pawpaw leaves as a staple feed. These were previously weighed as well as the remnants using a 0.5 g precision scale. The cultured substrates were watered daily (0.50 liter/substrate). At the beginning of the test, and then every week, the snails were weighed, and shell measurements done using a digital caliper of 0.05 mm accuracy. The animals were monitored for fourteen months. The results show that feed intake (3.01 ± 1.57), weight gain (25.55 ± 8.43), daily weight gain (0.065 ± 0.019), gain of shell length (29.66 ± 6.07) and shell diameter (21.58 ± 4.38) were significantly higher (P<0.05) in snails receiving 2600 kcal/kg of energy compared to snails from the other treatments. The highest consumption index was recorded in snails receiving 3000 kcal/kg of energy in the diet, but the statistical analyses did not find any significant difference. In conclusion, the energy level of 2600 kcal/kg can be retained in the diet of growing snails.