Omole A.J., Fayenuwo J.A., Adejuyigbe A.D., Popoola Y.A.
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria, Institute Of Agricultural Research and Training Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria; Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, I.A.R. and T, Ibadan, Nigeria
Omole, A.J., Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria, Institute Of Agricultural Research and Training Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria; Fayenuwo, J.A., Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria, Institute Of Agricultural Research and Training Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria; Adejuyigbe, A.D., Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, I.A.R. and T, Ibadan, Nigeria; Popoola, Y.A., Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria, Institute Of Agricultural Research and Training Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria
The effect of replacing maize fraction of the diet of growing snails partially or wholly with bread waste (BW) on performance characteristics and cost benefits was studied for 12 weeks. A total of 120 growing snails (Archachatina marginata) of mean weight 83.67 ± 3.5g of about 3 months of age were randomly allotted to 4 dietary treatments, BW 1, BW 2, BW 3 and BW 4 in which maize fraction of the diet was replaced at 0, 50, 75 and 100% with BW respectively, in a completely randomized design replicated 3 times. The parameters measured were feed intake, weight gain, shell length, width and thickness. Feed conversion ratio and cost/weight gain were calculated. The results showed that significant differences were not observed in the mean total feed intake, weight gain and shell increment (P>0.05). The results also revealed that dietary treatments had no significant influence on the dressing percentage (P>0.05) which varied between 41.25 and 41.28%. The total feed cost and cost per weight reduced as the level of BW in the diet increased from 0 to 100%. The highest cost/ weight gain (CW) of N223.2 was recorded in diet containing 0% BW while the lowest CW was recorded in diet containing 100%BW. Based on the present results maize fraction of snail's diet could be replaced with bread waste up to 100% at reduced cost without any adverse effect on performance of growing snails.
