Reproductive Traits, Growth Performance, and Economic Efficiency, of Archachatina marginata Snail under Captive with Different Stocking Density

2020 SETWM-20, ACBES-20 & EEHSS-20 Nov. 16-17, 2020 Johannesburg (SA)   unpublished
The reproductive traits, growth performance, and economic efficiency of African giant land snails under captive fed ad libitum and reared under different stocking densities was investigated in a twelve weeks experiment. A total of 196 growing, mediumsized Archachatina marginata snails of the same age with an average mean weights of 150.39g were used for the study. The four groups (treatment) of different stocking density was made up of 4, 8, 12, and 16 snails, and they were represented as A, B,
more » ... C and D respectively. The different stocking densities of the snails (4, 8, 12, and 16) was reared in wooden boxes (cage) measuring 25cm width x 35cm length x 21cm height or 0.25m width x 0.35m length x 0.21m height, placed inside the snailery unit. The four different groups (A, B, C and D) were replicated four times in a completely randomised design arrangement. The result showed that, growth performance of snails under treatments A and B were significantly (P<0.05) higher and similar compared with snails in other treatments. The reproductive traits were better (P<0.05) for treatments A and B while the economic efficiency with regards to revenue generated from snails produced and gross profit were highest (P<0.05) for treatments A and B compared with other treatments. However, we concluded that, for effective utilization of floor surface per snail, farmers are encouraged to adopt the floor space of 8 snails/0.25m × 0.35m (treatment B) for an improved growth performance and reproductive efficiency of breeding snails as well as for economic performance maximization of the enterprise. This seems to be a step towards biodiversity conservation, and its sustainability is very important in order to enhance our life support system.
doi:10.17758/eares10.eap1120134 fatcat:gco53hhlujhtrchdc6r2g5x5du