COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SNAIL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS USING CROPS AS COVER

This study was carried out to comparatively study different snail production systems using crops as cover. The systems evaluated were open and screened paddocks in comparison with the conventional paddock. In the open and screened paddocks, four different crops (Pueraria phaseoloides, Centrosema mole, Calapogonium mucunoides and Manihot esculenta) were cultivated to simulate the natural environment of the snails. The snails were allowed to live on the crops as applicable in the wild for the first 6 weeks after which concentrate was introduced for another six weeks while conventional feeding materials like pawpaw leaves, fruits and water leaf were utilized in the conventional paddock. A total number of three hundred and twenty (320) apparently healthy Archachatina marginata with liveweight between 50 to 60 g were used in the study which was laid out in a 2 X 4 factorial in Randomized Complete Block Design with four replicates. Data collected on growth, reproduction, environmental temperature and relative humidity were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using GenStat version 12.0 statistical software. Significant level was taken at P < 0.05. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the weight of the snails among the four cover treatments when compared on the basis of the production systems. The snails in the Mucuna, Centro, Puero and Cassava screened paddock recorded 10.75, 5.90, 5.63 and 4.43 g weight gain respectively while the snails reared under the open paddock in Mucuna, Puero, Centro and Cassava had weight gain of 4.28, 3.7, 2.9 and -2.8 g respectively. The snails in the conventional paddock had an average weight gain of 6.5 g. The snails reared under Cassava in the screened paddock laid the highest average number of eggs (10). Snails from the Mucuna pen in the screened paddock had bigger average size of eggs (20 mm) while the Snails from the Centro pens in the screened paddock had the highest average egg weight (1.30 g). The incubation period ranged between 26.5 to 32 days. Eggs laid by snail in the Centrosema pen in the screened paddock recorded 100 % hatching. The average temperature recorded at 0, 6 and 12 weeks for Open paddock were 39.43, 37.98 and 45.05 oC; for screened paddock were 36.19, 36,67 and 42.76 oC and conventional paddock were; 39.75, 39.10 and 45.05 oC respectively. The relative humidity recorded in the open paddock at 0, 6 and 12 weeks were 77.31, 63 and 65.11 %; screened paddock were 77.31, 66.63 and 71.56 % and Conventional paddock were 78.75, 68.75 and 67.50 % respectively. It was concluded that rearing snails under a screened paddock did not only help to regulate the temperature and relative humidity of the snails immediate environment but also protected the snails from intruders, predators and escape which are the major factors responsible for successful snail farming