COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF THE GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF THE GIANT AFRICAN SNAIL ARCHACHATINA MARGINATA FED A FORMULATED DIET AND THREE SELECTED EDIBLE VEGETABLES

AMATA IA

Abstract

The growth performance of the giant African land snail, Archarchatina marginata fed a formulated diet and three selected edible vegetables was investigated in an experiment conducted in the snail unit of the Delta State University Asaba Campus Research and Teaching Farm. The selected vegetables include: Bracica oleracea (cabbage), Lactuca sativa (lettuce) and Carica papaya (paw-paw). Parameters measured include feed efficiency ratio, feed conversion ratio, body weight, body length and shell diameter. Dietary treatment significantly affected the feed efficiency and feed conversion ratios. Significantly higher feed conversion ratio values were observed for the formulated diet and Carica papaya. Feed efficiency ratio was higher for Lactua sativa. Significant differences were observed in body weight of the snails fed the experimental diets, with the formulated diet recording the highest body weight values. Body weights of snails fed Carica papaya were significantly higher than snails fed cabbage and lettuce. There were no significant differences in shell diameter of the snails fed the experimental diets neither were there any significant differences in the length of the experimental animals as affected by diet.