ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to determine the effects of soya bean meal fed to grower snails at varying level of inclusion (23%, 25% and 27%) on their growth performance, carcass characteristics and shell quality. The experiment lasted for 10 weeks. Twenty-seven (27) 5-month old Achachatina marginata grower snails were randomly divided into three (3) groups of nine snails each per treatment, divided into three replicates of three snails each. The parameters examined were growth performance, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and carcass and shell characteristics. Data collected were analyzed by the one-way analysis of variance and significant means were separated with Duncan’s multiple ranged test at 5% level of probability The study revealed that the 27% SBM diet supported significantly higher final body weight, body weight gain, total feed intake, live weight, dressing percentage, visceral percentage, shell thickness and shell weight. However, no significant differences were recorded in the final shell circumference, shell circumference gain, final shell length and shell length gain as a result of the slow growth rate of snails. It was concluded that compounded feeds containing as much as 27% SBM is a way of ensuring all-year availability of feed for commercial snail production. |
