Technological and Economical Considerations for Breeding Terrestrial Snails Cornu aspersum ( Helix aspersa Muller) and Helix pomatia as Alternative Animal Protein Source for Human Consumption towards Ecological Protection and Sustainable Development

Abstract

Farming potential of the most popular edible terre strial snails, it was investigated within the context of efficient agricultural land u se of for maximum animal protein production. The stress induced by climate changes upon the snail's development is a considering factor, therefore snails are tested for fitness. Sel-Plex TM is used as concentrated forage additive in both 20 09 and 2010 experiments involving Cornu aspersum ( Helix aspersa Muller) and Helix pomatia edible terrestrial snails. Young snails of 4-7 days were tested for cr awling speed as fitness component, an expression of vitality and resistance during prolonged heat waves and drought season. Using proper white led based cold lighting sources and high definition highly se nsitive video recording equipment snail's activity has been recorded. Snails crawling on graded paper allowed for measuring their speed. Seeing thru the snail's shell due to proper light positioning, hear tbeat was counted as well during the crawling. Whil e the heartbeat rate of the snails is relatively high on all snail batches, respectively 97-102 bpm (bit s per minute) due to the high temperature, the snails fed with Sel-Plex TM 0.10% have the highest speed, namely 1.5694±0.0504 mm/s followed by the snails fed with Sel-Plex TM 0.04%, averaging 1.4403±0.0323 mm/s respectively. The paper introduces for the first time the concept of Gain to the Proposed Norm (GPN), presented as a development indicative, a progress indices towards meeting a predetermined goal target. The yield upon slaughter is a factor that plays a major roll as to recommen d Cornu aspersum species for farming as opposed to its counterpart Helix pomatia .