@article{Guy Tchowan_Ngoula_Kenfack_Tchoumboue_2017, title={Growth performances of giant African land snail (Achatina achatina) fed by formulated diet with different energy level}, volume={6}, url={http://sjournals.com/index.php/sjva/article/view/204}, abstractNote={<div>In order to assess the effect of energy level on the growth performances of giant African land snails (<em>Achatina achatina</em>), 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&lt;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.</div>}, number={11}, journal={Scientific Journal of Veterinary Advances}, author={Guy Tchowan, Merlin and Ngoula, Ferdinand and Kenfack, Augustave and Tchoumboue, Joseph}, year={2017}, month={Nov.}, pages={195-202} }