Most
of the developing countries of the
world, especially Africa is currently been plagued
with the alarming drop in per capita and food production, particularly in the last
few decades (Osho et al., 2007).
The food deficient situation is indeed more serious with protein deficiency
when compared to the availability of calories.
The
alarming increase in population implies that many people require the supply of protein in their diet because of its important role in human well
being which include growth, maintenance of hormonal
and enzymatic activities and
improvement of the defense mechanism of
the body (Ademolu et al., 2004).
Most of the conventional animal protein
sources like beef, goat, pork and mutton have become too expensive for an average
citizen. These major sources are being affected by persistent drought,
diseases, high cost of feeds, primitive animal husbandry techniques and low
productivity of local animal breeds. There is need for intensive system of
snail rearing instead of gathering snails from the bushes (Ademosum, 1991).
It
has been observed that snails collected from the wild cannot meet man’s demand
as a source of animal protein. Hence there is need to rear them on household and
commercial basis.
Omole et al (2000) reported
that different breeds of snails are found in Nigeria and they are characterized by their
best efficiency of nutrient transformation into quality protein.
Snail meat is a high quality food that is rich in
protein, low in fats and very rich in iron (Orisawuyi, 1989). It also contains calcium,
magnesium and zinc (Ademosun et al., 2004).
Imevbore
and Ademosun (1988) assessed the nutritive value of snail meat and discovered that
it has a protein content of 88.37%.
This
value compared favourably with conventional animal protein sources whose value
ranges from 82.42% (pork) to 92.75% (beef).
Akinnusi
(1998) reported that snail meat contains 70% water while its dry matter is high
in essential amino acids such as lysine, leucine, arginine, tryptophan and also
30% minerals. Snail is also a source of calcium or the phosphate which is a chemical
substance for curing kidney disease (Imeubore and Ademosun, 1988).
The
main problem facing farmers in rearing of snails is non availability of food
that will meet the nutrient requirement of snails at cheaper cost. This problem of non availability of food has
resulted to slow growth which can be addressed through improved nutrition.
1.2 Objectives of the study
The objectives
of the study were to:
1.
Determine
the growth performance of growing snails fed diets supplemented with mulberry
and siam weed.
2.
Evaluate
the cost benefit analysis of the treatment.
1.3 Justification of the study
The high cost of
conventional feed materials like soya bean meal
and fish meal which seems to be the
chief supplier of protein to
livestock diet has
intensified the search for
non-conventional feed stuffs that a re cheaper
and easily accessible. Morus alba
(mulberry plant ) and chromolaena
odorata (siam wee) are two promising
tropical plants with high
protein content of about 18.6% and
18.7% respectively (Shayo, 1997).
Mulberry
plant is a perennial plant which is usually cultivated
as mono crop for its leaf to rear silk worm majorly
(Gunasekhar et al., 1998).
Its protein quality is comparable to those of soya bean meal (Machily,
1989). Mulberry leaves are sometimes eaten
as vegetable and are useful as animal food supplement. It serves as a cattle fodder
and helps to improve milk yield of diary animals (Reed, 1976; Rojas and
Benavides, 1994; Oviedo et al.,
1994; Esquivel et al.,
1996 and Gonzaloz et al., 2008).
Chromoleana
odorata belongs to the family Asteraceae.
Its common names are Awolowo, independent weed or skin weed (Okon and
Amalu, 2003). It is used as a ruminant feed because of its high protein
content and less anti-nutritional factor (Iwu, 1993).
The
major constraints to the use of leaf
meal of both plants mulberry and siam weed in feeding of animals
is the presence of anti-nutritional factors (Checke and Myer, 1975) and this
probably could be avoided by adopting
proper harvesting and sundrying
procedures (Fasuyi et al.,
2005). However, much literatures have
not been cited on the effect of mulberry and chromoleana leaf meals on the
growth performance of African giant land snail, hence, the need for this study.
OTHER POSTS ON AGRICULTURE
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