Snail Production Research Articles

Enhancing Giant African Land Snail (Archachatina marginata) production with Thymus vulgaris (Lamiaceae) in the south-west region of Cameroon

The study was designed to determine the effect of Thymus vulgaris leaf meal on the production of Archachatina marginata. Two hundred and twenty-four adults’ snails were divided into four treatments of 14 snails and four replicates. Treatment T0 received only the experimental diet while three other treatments received diet with different inclusion level of T. vulgaris leaf meal at 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75%. Feed and leave were quantified using an electronic weighing scale daily. The results obtained show that, feed intake was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in animals receiving 0.75% T. vulgaris compared to other treatments. Likewise, the values of heart, pedal mass were higher in animals receiving 0.25% inclusions of T. vulgaris in the diet. Low relative weight variations in the internal organs across treatments were observed but significant differences occurred regarding only the shell weight and ovotestis. The proximate analysis of snail flesh results obtains shows that dry matter was significantly (P < 0.05) highest in animals receiving 0.25% T. vulgaris in the diet. Minerals analyzed were also significantly (P < 0.05) affected by the inclusion of T. vulgaris in the diet. In conclusion, incorporation of T. vulgaris leaf powder at 0.25% can be recommended in the diet of snails.

Performance evaluation of grower snails fed varying levels of groundnut cake

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of groundnut cake (GNC) fed to grower snails as the main protein source at varying levels, of inclusion 23%, 25%, and, 27%. This experiment was carried out at the Federal College of Education Teaching and Research Farm, Asaba, Delta state of Nigeria. The snails were four (4) months old each and the experiment lasted for 12 weeks, forty-eight (48) grower snails were randomly divided into three (3) groups of sixteen snails each per treatment, which were replicated four (4) times. The parameters considered were growth performance, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, carcass, and shell characteristics. Data collected were analyzed by use of one-way analysis of variance and significant means were separated using Duncan’s multiple ranged test at a 5% level of probability (SAS, 2011). The study showed that snails fed 27% of GNC supported higher body weight, live weight, and dressing percentage. However, no significant (P<0.05) differences were recorded in the final shell circumference, shell circumference gain, final shell length, and shell length gain. A formulated ration containing as much as 27% GNC will go a long way in ensuring the all-year availability of feed for commercial snail production.

ANALYSIS OF EFFECT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS ON THE PERCEPTION OF FARMERS ON GIANT LAND SNAIL (Achatina achatina) PRODUCTION IN NORTH CENTRAL STATES, NIGERIA.

The study analysed Sixty-four snail farmers were sampled through multiple-stage sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to achieve the specific objectives of the study. The study found that snail farming was carried out by young active farmers whose average age was 44 years, with an average of 7 years experience in snail farming, small-scale in nature because their average stock size was 787 snails. The average household size and annual farm income was 6 persons and N350,000.50 respectively. The farmers’ perception was high (83%) for snail farming and this was linked to the several benefits like increased income, enhancement of family welfare, a source of animal protein, source of employment, means of turning kitchen waste and ways of engaging family labour, derived from snail production. Snail production was asserted to be low (55%) due to constraints like slow rate of growth, theft, pest and disease (just to mention but a few), the farming of snail was noted to be economically viable. Socio-economic characteristics such as farmers gender, age, education, marital status, household size and farm income were identified to be significant variables to level of snail production. By recommendation, there is need for research to focus on breeding snails that are early maturing and fast growing to help overcome the problem of slow growth and used by the farmers for production purpose.

Cost and Returns Analysis of Snail Production in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria

The study examined snail production cost and return analysis in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. The study draws its essence from the fact that the supply of protein to the increasing population of Nigeria is inadequate. Given its profitability level, snail farming can serve as an important protein supplement to bridge the food insecurity gap. Through field surveys, copies of structured questionnaires were employed for collecting data from 40 snail farmers, who were randomly sampled. The analytical tools include frequencies, percentages, budgetary techniques, multiple regression, and mean scores. The results showed that snail farming was dominated by males (65%). The farmers were predominantly aged between 21 and 59, with a 67.5% score. Budgetary analysis showed that the farmers received a monthly net farm income of ₦113,000 (275.494 USD) and a gross margin of ₦1 345 000 (3279.11 USD), thus entailing the enterprise's profitability. Results of the multiple regression showed that variables like marital status and the purpose for farming were significant in determining the profitability status of snail farmers. Lack of collateral to secure loans to support farming and the problem of disease infected from contamination were some of the critical factors which constrained snail production, both jointly having a mean score of 3.35. It is recommended that the government give surety to registered farmers who do not have collateral to secure loans.

Capacity Building Needed by Retirees in Snail Production for Poverty Alleviation in Benue State, Nigeria

This paper focused on capacity building needed by retirees in snail production in Benue state, Nigeria. Four objectives with corresponding research questions guided the study with hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design with a sample of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents for data collection. Instrument titled: Capacity Building for Retirees in Snail Production (CBRSP) was structured by the researcher from the literature reviewed and face validated by three experts. The internal consistency of the instrument was determined using cronbach alpha with a coefficient of 0.82 obtained. The data collected was analyzed using frequency, mean and standard deviation to answer research questions while Chi square was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. It was observed that twelve (12) capacities in rearing snails, ten (10) in harvesting snail products, seven (7) capacities in poverty alleviation and thirteen (13) constraints faced by retirees were all needed for effective snail production in Benue State. It was recommended amongst others that seminars, symposium and workshops be organized by Government and Non-Governmental Organizations to train their workforce in snail production before proceeding to retire them so that they can have a skill and be useful to themselves and the society after retirement.

INSTRUMENTATION OF REGULATION IN THE ASPECT OF SNAIL BREEDING IN SPAIN AND ITS IMPACT ON THE COUNTRY’S ECONOMY

The paper explores the current state of snail farming in Spain, which includes production technologies, markets and the economic impact of the snail business. It includes an in-depth analysis of the methods used to optimize snail production as well as the challenges, and clarifies the issues faced by snail farmers such as feed costs, regulations and competition. The article discusses the competitors in snail farms and products in Spain, and highlights the ways in which Snail Paradise Farm is using to combat the competition. This study dives into the world of snail farming in Spain and explores its potential as a rapidly growing industry. We examine various aspects of the industry, including the marketing and advertising techniques businesses use to promote snail products to the market and an analysis of government support. We also look at the economic and environmental benefits of the snail industry in Spain and areas for further research and innovative development. This study also provides a case study of a successful snail farming business - Snail Paradise - and explores the different methods used by farmers to promote their products and stand out from the competition. In addition, we analyze the different methods used to reduce feed costs, increase production efficiency and overcome common challenges faced by snail farmers. Our research also explores the various regulations and legislation that ensure the safety, quality and compliance of snail farming methods. We also look at the role of marketing and business promotion in the success of snail farming in Spain. Despite the significant potential of the snail industry in Spain, there are challenges that need to be addressed, including standardization, low demand and competition. But, with proper investment and support, the snail farming industry can become an important source of income for Spanish farms and businesses, as well as provide jobs and contribute to the national economy. Unfortunately, low demand and competition are serious challenges for the industry, which requires marketing and advertising measures. However, proper standardization and product quality assurance can help increase demand for snail products and ensure their positioning in the market. The study includes an analysis of not only snail farming methods, but also their processing and use in the food and medical industries. The paper concludes with an overview of the potential economic and environmental benefits of the snail industry in Spain and areas for further research and innovation. This can serve as a basis for the development of new areas of snail cultivation and utilization, which has the potential to contribute to the creation of new jobs and the development of innovative technologies. To summarize, this study has great potential for the development of the snail farming industry in.

Edible Snail Production in Europe.

Simple SummaryEdible snails are a good source of easily digestible nutrients. They are easy to breed and their farming is more environmentally friendly than traditional livestock: they need little space, use less feed per kg of growth, and emit significantly less greenhouse gases. This review aims to present the most important issues related to the breeding of edible snails in European conditions: their importance, maintaining systems, the value of meat and caviar, and the feed used during the animals’ rearing and fattening period.The human population is growing; food production is becoming insufficient, and the growing awareness of the negative impact of traditional animal husbandry on the environment means that the search for alternative methods of providing animal protein is continuously underway. The breeding of edible snails seems to be a promising option. The most popular species of edible snails in Europe include the brown garden snail Cornu aspersum (Müller, 1774) (previously divided into two subspecies: Cornu aspersum aspersum (Müller, 1774) and Cornu aspersum maxima (Taylor, 1883)), as well as the Roman Snail—Helix pomatia Linnaeus, 1758. These animals are highly productive, require relatively little space, are easy to breed and their maintenance does not require large financial outlays. This review focuses on the prospects of food snail farming in Europe. It discusses the living conditions, the nutritional value of the snails’ meat, and the way of feeding the animals, paying particular attention to issues still not scientifically resolved, such as the need for micro and macro elements, as well as fat and carbohydrates.

Feed Marketing and Feeding Strategies in Snail Production Among Snail Farmers in Southwestern Nigeria

A study was carried out in selected States of Southwestern Nigeria to gather information about feed and feeding management for snail among snail farmers and other stakeholders in snail production-value chain. A total of 150 snail farmers were selected from south west part of Nigeria (Ogun, Ondo and Oyo state) while 125 questionnaires were retrieved. Information was gathered through questionnaires observations from the field and scheduled interviews from the purposively selected States. Questionnaires were carefully drafted and administered to elicit information from the farmers about feed and feeding management in snail production. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results indicated that 60.8% of the respondents were males while 39.2% were females. A larger (20.8%) percentage of the farmers were between the age range of 46 to 55 while 20.5% and 18.6% fell between the age range of 56 to 65 and above 66. respectively. Archachatina marginata (68.9%) was the most reared snail. About 20% of the farmers fed snails with conventional feed comprising leaves, fruits, flowers and peel of tuber crops while average of 29 farmers fed snails with compounded feed combined with tubers, leaves and household waste. Majority of the respondents (60.8%) fed snail in the evening. A larger percentage (64.5%) of the farmers preferred compounded feed to conventional feed and also preferred Retail purchases based on the size of their farms. Finely ground compounded snail feed (57.8%) was the most acceptable form. Wrong perception about snail, dearth of information about feed formulation, low educational levels, high cost of feed ingredients and inadequate market are major reasons for unavailability of snail feed in the market. Farmers agreed that the use of compounded feed in snail are for improvement of growth rate, meat quality, enhance early market weight, ease of transportation and longer storage.

Economic analysis of snail production and its contribution to food security of farming households in Nigeria

Abstract The numerous resources in snail production have largely remained untapped in developing countries despite the increasing awareness of the many benefits and potentials embedded therein. This study was done to analyze the economics of snail production and to estimate its contribution to the food security of farming households in Oyo State, Nigeria. Primary data were obtained through the use of a structured questionnaire that was administered to the snail farmers. Based on the discovery of this work, the result shows that 39.2 % of the sampled farmers were within the active age bracket (41–50 years). 92.5 % of the farmers were males indicating men were actively involved. The majority of the farmers were literate with (83.3 %) having tertiary education. The mean farming experience was about 7 years with most of the farmers (47.5 %) having experience of 5–8 years. Most (86.7 %) of the respondents were married. The majority (40 %) engage in farming as an occupation primarily. The result showed that the returns to snail production were high (net profit ₦317.88/0.75 USD per jumbo-size snail). Every naira investment generated about ₦1.96/0.0046 USD. This demonstrated a high economic return of the snail farming business for boosting the revenue of the farming household. It was revealed that the cost of breeding stock, stocking density, and labour cost had a significant effect on revenue generated from snail production. Snail production was also not seen to have a significant contribution to the food security of farming households in the study area. The result further showed that the major constraints faced by snail farmers in the study area include lack of financial capacity for business expansion, unavailability of collaterals for loan acquisition to aid farm activities, and lack of inadequate extension visits among others. Hence, the study emphasizes the need for the government to invest heavily in snail production and encourage people to venture into snail farming business.

Effect of Calcium Source in Supplemental Diets on the Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of the Giant African Land Snails (<i>Archachatina marginata</i>) in the Western Highlands of Cameroon

To contribute to the diversification of protein sources, the conservation and preservation of the Giant African Land Snails (Archachatina marginata), a study was carried out between March and July 2019 at the Helvy Farms-WVED Cameroon located at Station Bamenda to investigate the effect of three calcium sources on their growth performance and carcass characteristics. 180 juvenile snails aged 4 months initially weighing between 24.2 and 28.5 g, shell length ranging between 40.25 - 48.35 mm, and shell diameter of between 14.08 - 18.44 mm were randomly allotted to 3 treatments containing each a different calcium source (crushed snail shell, eggshell and agricultural limestone) and a control treatment constituted of natural plant feeding materials of the snail. There were 45 snails per treatment, constituted of three replicates with 15 snails per replicate. Each replicate was housed in well-constructed surface trench pens equipped with drinking and feeding troughs. The basal diet made up of feedstuffs like pawpaw leaves and watermelons was provided ad libitum. The initial weights of the snails were recorded at the start of the experiment followed by weekly weight measurements, while the snail length and width were measured with a digital caliper of 0.05 mm accuracy. The snails were monitored for a period of 21 weeks and data was collected for 20 weeks after a 1 week adaptation period. The results showed that the weight gain (g) of snails for diets containing calcium sources in the supplemental diets were all significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the corresponding values recorded for the control diet with natural plant material. It was observed that the shell length (0.34 ± 0.02), shell width (0.16 ± 0.02), weight gain (13.13 ± 0.03) and feed conversion efficiency (1.977 ± 0.11) were highest in snails fed snail shell diet as calcium source compared with snails from other treatments. These values were however not significantly higher than corresponding values for the other two supplemental diets containing eggshell or agricultural limestone. It can be deduced that the snail shell is an important calcium source for growing snails and can be adopted and used in the diets of snails. This will amount to some good methods of recycling in snail production.

HELIX POMATIA (GRAPE SNAIL) AS A NEW SOURCE OF BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES

This article features findings of the research that includes processing by the physical method (in three options: freeze drying, traditional drying using dehydrators at a temperature of +35 and +105℃ ) of raw materials which appear to be waste products in the production of snails, with their subsequent laboratory studies. Approbation of the obtained results in the production industry proves the effectiveness of the implementation of the proposed solution. In the result of the growing pace in the manufacture of products of the of Helix pomatia origin, where only 40% of raw materials are used, the processing of waste products has become of great scientific and industrial interest. The purpose of the research was to comprehensively study the waste products in the manufacture of snail products, using different options in the physical method in processing of raw materials to enable the diversity in prospective product manufacturing. The scientific novelty of the research work is represented by a comprehensive study of qualitative features of waste products in snail production with the grounded potential scope of their application, and the contribution both in science and in industries promoting the development of agricultural products. As a result, it has been established and proven that the freeze-dried grape snail is used more effectively than other options in the processing of raw materials, which is characterized by the best quality indicators, including the highest content of crude protein – 74.90 % and amino acids. This fact makes Helix pomatia a promising and competitive product.

Entrepreneurial Skills in Snail Production Required by Youths for Wealth Creation in Enugu State, Nigeria

The study identified entrepreneurial skills in snail production required by youths for wealth creation in Enugu state, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted in the study. Researchers employed a multistage sampling technique in the selection of respondents in the study. The sample size of the study was two hundred and sixteen (216) youths who are into snail farming. Data were voluntarily collected from respondents through the use of an adapted structured questionnaire titled

Contribution of snail production to income status of snail farmers in Edo South, Edo State, Nigeria

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; This study examined the contribution of snail production to the income status of snail farmers in Edo South Senatorial District, Edo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of snail producers, estimate the costs and returns of snail production in the study area, examine the effect of snail production on income of snail farmers and identify the constraints to the production of snail in the study area. A two-stage sampling procedure comprising purposive and snowballing sampling techniques was employed to select 108 respondents for the study. However, 100 respondents provided useful information that was used for the analysis. Data were collected using structured questionnaire. Analysis of data was done using descriptive statistics and budgetary techniques and t-test. The results indicated that the majority of the respondents were females (61%) with average age of 38 years. Most of them were married (81%) with average household size of five persons. They had average of eight years experience in snail rearing and most of them (88%) were literate. The results further showed that the business of snail production in the study area was profitable with gross margin, net profit and return on investment of ₦359,455.00, ₦ 339,533.00 and 2.04 per annum, respectively. Without income from this business, the snail farmers had average annual income of ₦1,377,519.00 from other sources of livelihood. With the addition of income from snail production, their average annual income increased to ₦1,717,052.00, representing 20% increase. This increase was significant at p &lt; 0.05 (t-ratio = 5.02). Thus, snail production had made significant contribution to improving the income of the snail producers. It was recommended that the unemployed youths should go into the business of snail production in order to improve their income status.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Geometrical morphology characterization and taxa identification of land Snail populationsin Algeria

In the context of the evaluation of animal genetic resources in general and the diversity of land snails in particular, we contributed to a morphometric and phenotypic study of this animal groupes 14 districts whose, they are recognized by their snail production. To achieve the objective measurements with geometrical approaches were collected from 751 individuals. Four parameters related to the body of each animal as the height of the shell (HC), the length of shells (LC),shell width (LGC) and the weight (P) and two phenotypic characters flesh color (CCH) and shell color (CC). The ANOVA test show a significant differences on body measurements between districts andspecies. In fact, the obtained results show that the Otala punctate is the most common species in Algeria; otherwise, there is significant phenotype variability betweenindividuals, which confirms that snails exhibit a large polymorphism. An Independence test was carried out on the phenotypic characteristics revealing that the regions influence the qualitative characteristics.This study it one of very few research undertaken in this field especially in Algeria. It is an important approach to be taken into consideration during conservation and improvement programs for this endangered species because of illegalpickup.

Geometrical morphology characterization and taxa identification of land Snail populationsin Algeria

&#x0D; In the context of the evaluation of animal genetic resources in general and the diversity of land snails in particular, we contributed to a morphometric and phenotypic study of this animal groupes 14 districts whose, they are recognized by their snail production. To achieve the objective measurements with geometrical approaches were collected from 751 individuals. Four parameters related to the body of each animal as the height of the shell (HC), the length of shells (LC),shell width (LGC) and the weight (P) and two phenotypic characters flesh color (CCH) and shell color (CC). The ANOVA test show a significant differences on body measurements between districts andspecies. In fact, the obtained results show that the Otala punctate is the most common species in Algeria; otherwise, there is significant phenotype variability betweenindividuals, which confirms that snails exhibit a large polymorphism. An Independence test was carried out on the phenotypic characteristics revealing that the regions influence the qualitative characteristics.This study it one of very few research undertaken in this field especially in Algeria. It is an important approach to be taken into consideration during conservation and improvement programs for this endangered species because of illegalpickup.&#x0D;

Organoleptic evaluation of Archachatina marginata fed rumen content dietary inclusion

There is inadequate information on quality feedstuff for large scale production and all year round availability of snails in Nigeria.The research was conducted to investigate the organoleptic properties of the African giant land snails (Archachatina marginata). Thirtytwo snails were randomly allotted into four dietary treatments of varied levels of 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% rumen content inclusion. Each treatment was replicated with four snails per pen in a completely randomized design. The snails were reared in mini paddock. Feed and water were supplied ad-libitum. At the end of the eight weeks period of feeding trials, two snails were harvested at random from the replicates of each of the four treatments, sacrificed, processed and analyzed. Based on appearance, taste and aroma of the snails fried and stewed with spices and the other one steamed with spices, preference ranking in descending order revealed 15% (6·85) rumen content inclusion had the highest mean preference followed by 5% (6·53) inclusion for the fried snail with spices and 0% (6.65) inclusion had the highest ranking followed by 15% (6.53) rumen content inclusion for the snail steamed with spices. The treatments had no appreciable effect on the nutrient composition and sensory quality of the snail meat. It can be concluded that growing snails can utilize rumen content inclusion thereby increasing the feed data base for snail production in the Tropics.

Effectiveness of a handmade shell-based substrate for the breeding of Biomphalaria glabrata under laboratory conditions.

ABSTRACTEfficient snail production is essential for the proper maintenance of the Schistosoma mansoni life cycle in the laboratory. In order to improve the breeding of Biomphalaria glabrata under laboratory conditions, this study aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of a handmade shell-based substrate on the physiological performance of B. glabrata. The shells used to make the substrate were cleaned, sterilized and macerated until a powder was obtained (yield of 92.3%). B. glabrata specimens were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: negative control group (NCG) exposed to a clay-only substrate; a positive control group (PCG) containing clay, oyster flour and calcium carbonate; and the test group (TG) with the shell-based substrate and clay. B. glabrata bred in the test group showed improved growth, sexual maturity, fertility, mortality rate, and shell morphology when compared to the NCG, and similar to the PCG. Therefore, the shell-based substrate proved to be efficient and has a low cost for the breeding of B. glabrata.

Willingness of snail consumers to choose snail production as livelihoods in Ibadan Southwest Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

Snails are common in the rainforest region especially during the rainy season, but its population in the wild is decreasing due to human and environmental activities. This affect quantity available for consumption and it prompts the reason to encourage snail production. The study examined snail consumer’s willingness to choose snail production as means of livelihoods. Snowball sampling technique was used to select 120 consumers. Data were obtained through questionnaires and analysed using descriptive and correlation analyses. The result shows that many (60%) of the respondents were male, 48.7% were married with an average income of ₦78,983.64 and 37 years of age. Level of snail consumption was high (63.4%) and more than 50% were willing to choose snail production as a means of livelihood. Meanwhile, poor supply of feeding materials (43.5%) and inadequate skills in snail rearing (39.1%) were perceived as major constraints. Correlation result shows significant relationship between age (r = 0.346, p &lt; 0.05), level of snail consumption (r = 0.200, p &lt; 0.05) and willingness to choose snail production as means of livelihoods. The study concluded that people that consume more snails were willing to choose snail production. It is recommended that concerned agencies for capacity building should consider training people especially snail consumers in snail production and provide palliative resources to overcome challenges in snail production for sustainability and transformation of the agricultural system.Keywords: consumers, willingness to choose, snail production, constraints and livelihoods

Effect of Cassava by Product on Performance and Cost of C Giant Land Snail (Archachatina marginata) Production

The present study was aimed to determine the effect of Cassava by Product on Performance and Cost of c Giant land Snail (Archachatina marginata) Production. A twelve-week feeding trial was conducted with (n=225 growing snails) with an average weight of 88.95+ 8.10 g to access their growth response and nutrients digestibility. The snails were fed pawpaw leaf meal (PLM), cassava leaf meal (CLM), cassava peel meal (CPM), cassava sieviate meal (CSM) and cassava chaff meal (CCM) in a complete randomized design at 45 snails per treatment of five treatments, while each treatment was replicated three times. The proximate and fiber fractions of the feedstuffs were also determined and data were analyzed using ANOVA. The proximate evaluation showed highest crude protein in PLM (31.35%) and least in CSM (2.34%). The highest crude fiber was obtained for CPM (16.21%) and least in CCM (3.98%) CSM had the highest NFE (87.41%). Highest neutral detergent fiber (NDF) 59.33%, acid detergent fiber (ADF) 34.24%, acid detergent lignin (ADL) (9.18%), cellulose (25.59%) and hemicelluloses 25.06% was obtained for PLM. Outstanding (PL&lt; 0.05%) weekly weight gain, weekly feed intake, nutrient digestibility and carcass yield were obtained in snails on PLM and CLM followed by CPM. Snails utilized Cassava by-product without any adverse effect.

Comparative Evaluation of Lettuce Wastes, Pawpaw Leaves, Whole Lettuce and Cabbage Wastes as a Sole Feed Ingredient for Growing Archachatina marginata Snails

There is inadequate information on quality feedstuffs for large-scale year-round production of snails in Nigeria. This study evaluated the performance, carcass analysis and sensory properties of cooked meat of Archachatina marginata snails fed on plant wastes as sole feed ingredient. A feeding trial of 6-month duration involving one hundred and twenty growing snails (132.91 ± 2.13 g) in a randomly distributed four dietary treatments of pawpaw leaves (PL), whole lettuce, lettuce wastes (LW) and cabbage wastes (CW) was conducted. Treatment effect on shell length and width was significant (P 0.05). The highest dressing percentage of 43.2% was obtained for snails on LW, while the lowest value of 35.19% was recorded for snails on PL. The treatments had no appreciable effect on the nutrient composition and sensory quality of the snail meat. The highest dry matter digestibility of 83.50% was recorded in snails on CW which was statistically similar to those on LW (83.33%), while the least value of 78.33% was recorded in snails on PL. The weight gain and feed per unit gain followed the same pattern as the dry matter digestibility. It is concluded that lettuce waste as well as cabbage waste can be utilized as sole feed for growing snails, thereby increasing the feed-base for snail production in the tropics.