Effects of different protein sources on growth and carcass characteristics of African giant land snail (Archachatina marginata) in captivity

This study evaluated the effect of replacing groundnut cake with Moringa oleifera, Leucaena leucocephala and Gliricidia sepium leaf meal on growth performance and carcass characteristics of giant African land snails. One hundred and twenty (120) growing snails (Archachatina marginata) of 150 – 170 g, aged 5 – 6 months were randomly assigned to four different treatments with three replicates and ten snails per replicate. M. oleifera, L. leucocephala and G. sepium leaves were harvested, shed dried and milled to obtain M. oleifera leaf meal (MOLM), L. leucocephala leaf meal (LLLM) and G. sepium leaf meal (GSLM). Snails in Treatment 1 were given groundnut cake (GNCD), treatment 2 snails had GSLM, treatment 3 snails had MOLM and treatment 4 snails were given LLLM as the protein source in a 13 week feeding trial. Feed intake, live weight gain, shell changes and carcass characteristics were measured using standard procedures. The result showed that weight gain and final weight of snails fed GNCD, MOLM, and LLLM were statistically (p>0.05) similar but significantly (p<0.05) higher than snails fed GSLM. Dressing percentage and percentage visceral weight of snails fed MOLM was highest across treatments. Percentage shell weight was highest among snails fed GNCD, whereas percentage haemolymph weight was highest among snails fed LLLM. Inclusion of M. oleifera and L. leucocephala leaf meals as protein sources in concentrate rations for snails was beneficial for growth and carcass characteristics of growing snails. Keywords: Carcass traits, Dressing percentage, Foot weight, Leaf protein, Leguminous forage