Snail Production Technique, an Opportunity for Self-Sustenance in the face of Economic Recession
Introduction
Over 80% of the Nigerian Populace is poor to whom protein products such as meat are a rare luxury. To avert the danger of malnutrition, especially among children, the giant African land snail is a good substitute of a source of protein.
Snail meat has been found to be
- High in protein (37-51%) compared to that of guinea pig (20.3%), Poultry (18.3%), Fish (18%), Cattle (17.5%), Sheep (16.4%) and Swine (14.5%). Iron content (45-59mg/kg), low in fat (0.05-0.08%) and contains almost all the amino acids needed for human nutrition.
- `Tasty and delicious.
- The low cholesterol level and high iron content of the meat make it good antidote for fat related diseases.
- Used for different curative purposes from ancient times till today using several formulations. For Example it can be a remedy to treat burns, abscesses and other wounds. measles, small pox, and some skin diseases
Prospects in Snail farming business
- Snail farming is one business that can reduce poverty by creating employment for many
- It is a sure means of growing ones stock of wealth.
- It can provide a substantial source of protein in our diet.
- Snail farming requires far less capital investment, while much profit is generated in a considerably short period.
- It involves lower risk compared to other livestock farming.
- Virtually every part of snail is of vital use as food and in the pharmaceutical industry.
- Feed of snails are cheap, affordable, and can be prepared locally.
- The market potential of snail is inexhaustible.
- Management of snail is not time consuming, requires less space, less energy, and less attention.
Factors to note when stocking
Parents stock should be bought from farmers rather than picking them up from the wild. This is important because despite the fact that snails are hermaphrodites, they still seek to mate and cross-fertilize with species of their kind. The African giant snail species are the best for reproduction.
Snails of the same age group should be stocked. If they are of different ages, they should be reared in different cages.
Reproduction
Snails lay their eggs between 10 and 30 days after mating when provided with the required food, which are mostly juicy leaves, constant water, a favorable weather condition of an average of 25 to 300C and a humidity of 80%.
Snails need soil at least 2-3 inches deep in which to lay their eggs. Dry soil is not suitable for the preparation of a nest, nor is soil that is too heavy. In clay soil that becomes hard, reproduction rates may decrease because the snails are unable to bury their eggs and the hatchlings have difficulty emerging from the nest.
Hatchability of eggs depends on soil temperature, soil humidity, soil composition, etc. Soil consisting of 20% to 40% organic material is good.
The eggs could be removed immediately after they are deposited, counted and then kept on moist cotton until the eggs hatch and the young start to eat. Snails lose substantial weight by laying eggs, so the feed should be increased substantially to substitute for this.
The number of egg laid depends on the species. The giant African snail, Achatina fulica, lays 100 to 400 elliptical eggs that each measure about 5mm long. While the Archachatina marginata lays less egg of about 70 – 150. It however has a faster rate of growth than Achatina fulica. Each snail may lay several batches of eggs each year, usually in the wet season. They may lay eggs in holes in the ground or in organic matter. In 10 to 30 days, the eggs hatch releasing snails about 4mm long. These snails grow up to 10mm per month. After 6 months, the Achatina fulica is about 35mm long and may already be sexually mature. Sexual maturity takes 6 to 16 months, depending on weather and the availability of calcium. This snail lives 5 or 6 years, sometimes as many as 9 years.
The most popular species of the giant snail are the Achatina achatina and the big black species, Archachatina marginata. The former reaches a bodyweight of between 80 and 250g in 18 months to two years, whereas the big black adult weights about 350g or more.
Rearing systems
We can broadly divide the rearing system into two categories namely:
1. Intensive system- The standard cage system
2. Semi-intensive system- The semi intensive methods of rearing snails involve the use of local readily available cheap materials. Few of the systems include:
1. Plastic baskets – In this system of rearing, plastic baskets are used as cages to house the snails. Feed and water are provided for them in-situ. Plastic cages of dimension 24 x 30 x 40cm with a feeding trough and a watering trough is suitable.
2. Tyres- Used tyres could be used to house snails covering it at the top with wooden cover.
3. Cement block enclosure – a 2m2 block enclosure can be used to house snails.
Housing condition
Kitchen wood ash can be applied at 40g/m2/month or 8g per tyre
Stocking Rate
Snails are vulnerable to over population, as this may result in infection, decrease in number of eggs produced, low weight gains and deaths due to build-up of slime on the ground. Lower stocking rates produce larger snails in a shorter time. For African snails, density stocks of about 100 juveniles weighing 0.5 – 49g or 30 pre-adult snails weighing between 50 – 100g per square meter are recommended. A lower population density of between 6-7 snails per square meter is most suitable for adults when space is not a constraint.
Snail Diet Composition
The snail diet consists of layers marsh and pawpaw leave mixed in 1:1 ratio and water. Pawpaw leave is collected and oven dried after which it is grounded and then mixed with the layers marsh in appropriate ratio.
Other feeds of high nutritive importance are: cassava and sweet potato leaves, peels of mango, plantain, cocoyam and pawpaw have huge nutritive value and can be used in some places as the sole diet of snails, fruit and leaves of apple, apricot, barley, beans, carrot, citrus, cucumbers (a favorite snail food), ripe pears, potatoes (raw or cooked), spinach, sweet pea, tomatoes (well liked).
Don’ts in snail feeding
Never allow their feeds to be contaminated with salt; it will wipe off your entire stock.
Do not feed them with feed stuff that contains alkaloids and other defensive chemicals.
Watering Regime- Water should be sprinkled at 20L/m2/day or 4L/tyre/day to prevent hibernation which is anti-production.
Profitability of snail Farming
Lets study together a case of a snail farmer who invested N30,000 initial capital for the first year of production.
| Materials | Quantity | Cost (N) |
| Cost of equipments | | |
| Building | 2m X 2m block enclosure ( 5 enclosures) | 15,000 |
| Watering can, spade etc | 2 each | 1,000 |
| Breeding stock (snails) | 20 snails | 4,000 |
| Cost of feeding | | |
| Cost of layers marsh for 1 year | 2 bag | 3,000 |
| Cost of pawpaw fruits and leaves | Source from farm (Self) Or buying of fruits at periods of low production | 3,000 |
| Other feed subsidy | | 2,000 |
| Miscellaneous | | 2,000 |
| Total | | 30,000 |
However, after a year of production, the stock had grown to 1000 pieces of snails (about 300 adult and 700 juveniles and young hatchlings)
The farmer decided to sell half of his stock and he sold about 200 adults and 200 juvenile snails and realized N60,000, if each snail was sold at an average rate of N150. We can now imagine how much he will make in subsequent productions.
Seminar presentation by
Bayode Olaolu Tolulope
B.Agric (Animal Breeding and Genetics)
Cedar Consult - 08034125857
