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 me
als on the growth performance of African giant land snail, hence, the need for this study.
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