GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND LIPID PROFILE OF Achatina achatina SNAILS FED VARYING LEVELS OF Moringa oleifera LEAF MEAL

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding varying levels of Moringaolifera leaf meal (MOLM) on the growth performance and lipid profile of Achatinaachatina species of snails. A total of one hundred and twenty snailets with initial average weight of 9.71-10.29g were randomly assigned into five dietary treatments TO, T1, T2, T3 and T4 containing 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% dietary inclusion of dried MOLM respectively. The snailets were randomly assigned to five treatment groups of 24 snails and replicated three times with eight snailets per replicate in a completely randomized design (CRD). Feed and water were supplied ad libitum to the snails throughout the 8 weeks experimental period. The response parameters evaluated were body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, shell length, shell width and lipid profile of the snail meat. Results showed that snails on treatment four recorded the highest (P<0.05) final body weight (27.95g), average daily weight gain (0.34g) and better feed conversion to meat (2.77). There was significant (P<0.05) reduction in the high density lipoproteins, low density lipoproteins and total cholesterol of snail meat with increase in the level of MOLM inclusion in the diets. It was concluded that dietary inclusion of dried Moringaolifera leaf meal at 10% can be included in the diet of growing snails to improve the growth performance and lower the low density lipoproteins of Achatinaachatina snails.