Description
ABSTRACT
This research, carried out for a period of thirtysix 36 weeks, investigated the influence of housing types on growth performance and reproductive characteristics of two edible snail species Achatina fulica F and Achatina achatina L One hundred and eighty 180 juvenile snails were used 90 of each species and thirty 30 snails of each species were subjected to each of the three housing treatments in replicates of 15 snails per replicate The housing treatments had the same dimensions 120cm x 60cm x 30cm and were labeled: Treatment A Hutch box, Treatment B Trench pen and Treatment C Minipaddock pen The housing treatments and its surroundings were fitted with a digital thermometer and hygrometer to take daily readings of internal and ambient temperature and humidity The snails in each replicate were fed daily rations of 60g of dry Guinea corn bran, 50g ground egg shell, and water was also supplied The growth parameters investigated were: weekly weight gain, weekly increase in shell length and weekly increase in shell circumference The reproductive parameters investigated were egg production and hatchability of eggs Other parameters investigated were mortality, hibernation, temperature and humidity variations Treatment C produced the highest yield in all the growth parameters for both Achatina fulica and Achatina achatina and means of the weight gain and increase in shell circumference were statistically significant p lt; 005 at 3, 6 and 9 months for Achatina achatina but were not significant for Achatina fulica The means of the shell length increase were also not significant p gt; 005 for the both snail species at 3, 6 and 9 months There was no significant difference P gt; 005 in the means of the reproductive parameters even though the highest yield of egg production and hatchability of eggs were observed in Treatment C for both snail species The least snail mortality and hibernation for both snail species was observed in treatment C The temperature variation was lowest in Treatment C 40oC and highest in Treatment B 69oC The humidity variation was also lowest in Treatment C 145 and highest in Treatment B 159 Treatment C proved to be the best housing type for the production of Achatina achatina and the study recommends that it can be used as nursery, growing and fattening pens for rearing Achatina achatina in the tropics to produce best result while any of the housing types can be used for rearing Achatina fulica
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Approval page ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Abstract vi
Table of contents vii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
11 General Background 1
12 Reasons for Embarking on the Study 3
13 Specific Objectives 5
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
21 Evolution of Snails 6
22 Snail Taxonomy 7
23 Distribution and Habitat 12
231 Achatina fulica 13
232 Achatina achatina 14
233 Archachatina marginata 14
24 Snail Biology 15
241 Morphology 15
243 Food and Feeding Habits 18
244 Growth 21
245 Reproduction 24
246 Behaviour 28
25 Predators, Parasites and Diseases 32
26 Economic Importance of Snails 34
261 Nutritive Value 34
262 Medicinal Value 35
263 Snails as Pests 36
27 Snail Farming 37
271 Edible Land Snail Species 38
272 Advantages of Snail Farming 41
273 Disadvantages of Snail Farming 41
274 Choosing a Site for Snail Farming 42
2741 Temperature and Humidity 42
2742 Wind Speed and Direction 43
2743 Soil Characteristics 44
275 Constructing a Snailery 46
2751 Characteristics of a Good Snailery 47
2752 Car Tyres, Oil Drums 48
2753 Hutch Boxes 48
2754 Trench Pens 50
2755 Minipaddock pens 51
2756 Freerange pens 51
276 Breeding and Management 53
2761 Selecting Breeding Stock 54
2762 Rearing density 55
2763 Management 56
28 Processing of Snail Meat 57
29 Market 58
CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS
31 Study area 60
32 Study Animals 63
33 Sample size 63
34 Housing 64
35 Preliminary study 65
351 Investigating the influence of housing on temperature and humidity 65
352 Feeding trial 66
36 Experimental Design 68
37 Feeding 69
38 Proximate analysis 70
381 Moisture Content 70
382 Crude protein content 71
383 Crude fat content 72
39 Investigating the effects of housing on growth performance 73
310 Investigating the effects of housing treatments on egg Production and Hatchability 74
311 Investigating the effects of housing treatments on mortality and hibernation 75
312 Investigating temperature and humidity variations 76
312 Statistical Analysis 76
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULT
411 Preliminary investigation of the influence of housing on temperature 77
412 Preliminary investigation of the influence of housing on humidity 78
42 Proximate analysis of experimental diet 79
43 Weight gain of snails 80
44 Shell length increase of the snails 85
45 Shell Circumference increase of the snails 89
46 Egg production 96
47 Egg hatchability 99
48 Snail mortality and hibernation 101
49 Temperature and humidity variations 103
410 Cost of Construction of the housing types 103
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION
51 Housing conditions and growth performance of the snails 105
52 Housing and reproductive characteristics of the snails 112
53 Mortality and hibernation 114
54 Temperature and humidity variations 115
55 Cost of construction of the housing types 117
SUMMARY 118
RECOMMENDATIONS 120
CONCLUSION 121
REFERENCES 122
APPENDIX 130
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