SNAIL FARMING

Hello steemains! I will like to talk extensively on snail farming, which is one of the aspects I have come to develop so much interest in, and I have also practiced at home. This discussion will be focused on various aspects, ranging from the biology of snail, the species of snails available, and how to identify them, their environmental requirements, housing, feeding, management practices and so on.
Feel free to submit your contributions, or probably questions in the comment section.
Note: knowledge shared is the knowledge valued.

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INTRODUCTION

Snails are bilaterally symmetrical invertebrates with soft-segmented exoskeleton in the form of calcareous shells.They belong to the phylum mollusca. Snail production is one of the ways of meeting animals' protein requirements in West Africa in general and Nigeria in particular. The low fat content and low cholesterol level make snail a good antidote for vascular diseases such as hypertension and high blood pressure. The meat is a highly priced delicacy in many cities in Nigeria where it is popularly called “Congo meat”.

Snail production was given little or no attention in the past, but in recent times, the demand for snails at both local and international markets is exerting great pressure on the supply, thus posing a great threat of extinction to the natural stock from which the majority of the snails are collected. If nothing is done to domesticate snails, and on a commercial scale, the rapid deforestation that is prevalent in our time could also hasten its depletion. Increasing awareness of the potential values and virtues of snail rearing has already started yielding fruits as many people are now showing interest in the venture.

BIOLOGY OF SNAIL

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Essentially, a snail consists of two parts - the body and the shell. The body is divided into three parts- the head, the foot and the visceral mass. The head is not well demarcated and carries two pairs of retractable tentacles. One pair of tentacles is far longer than the other and contains the eyes in the knobbed end. The long, muscular foot occupies almost the entire ventral surface and, like the head, is not clearly demarcated from the rest of the body. A shallow longitudinal groove runs along the centre of the foot and it's movement takes place by means of expanding and extracting muscles in the foot. This is clearly visible when you place a snail on a glass surface, and look from below.

Mucus glands located in the anterior (front) part of the foot secrete mucus. There are also mucus glands on the rest of the body protecting the snail against loss of water. The hump-shaped visceral mass is housed in the shell above the foot. It contains the digestive, reproductive, and respiratory organs. The skin over the visceral hump secretes a large calcareous shell (98% of the shell is made up of calcium carbonate).

In most species of snails, the shell account for about a third of the body weight. It is the snail's protective casing. Whenever danger threatens, the snail withdraws its body into the shell. Although snails are hermaphrodites(I.e they have male and female parted), in most species the individuals mate with each other before laying eggs.

IMPORTANCE AND PROSPECTS OF SNAIL FARMING

The importance of snail farming cannot be overemphasized, and this is because of the great prospects in the business.

To many researchers, snailery or heliculture is a money spinning business. The amount of capital required for the establishment of a snailery is appreciably small and the practice requires little labour with no strenuous physical efforts. Physically challenged people including the dumb, lame; deaf etc can also easily rear snails for a living. Snails generally are noiseless and quite easy to handle, They can be reared in urban environment without infringing on the peace of neighbors, neither do they pollute the environment with foul smell. The practice also has the need of only a small space. Besides, snails have been shown to adapt to various environmental conditions hence can be raised in small towns, cities, farms, at background or commercial levels and villages. In addition, the meat appears as a delight on the table to most families.

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Snails sell generally high compared to other meat, hence their establishment can go a long way to solving unemployment, nutritional and health problems, just to mention a few.

NUTRIENT REQUIREMENT OF SNAILS

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Snails, like other animal need the basic nutrients (energy protein, fats, amino-acids, vitamins and minerals) for optimum functioning of metabolic chemical reactions involved in growth maintenance, shell formation, production and reproduction. The choice of feeding materials are based on available information that snails are vegetarians to the extent to which each of the feeding materials can influence the growth rate of snails.

Snails require calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium at a relatively high level compared to many other animals. These minerals determine the rate of shell secretion by the mantle and for the rapid development of shell. Vitamins cannot be synthesized by snails, so it must be provided in the diet.

BENEFITS OF SNAIL FARMING

An average Snail is comprised of 80% water, 15% protein, and 2.4% of fat which is primarily healthy fat. A snail contains essential fatty acids; calcium, iron, selenium, and magnesium are also found in snails. They are a rich source of vitamins, and highly and incredibly packed with vitamins E, A, K and B12. Snails are an ideal weight watchers' diet because they are good sources of proteins but low in calories and fat.

Imagine for a 100-gram serving of snail, you have about 90calories. An average snail also contains a glycoprotein which is believed to contain cancer-fighting properties. The mucous exuded by these creatures contain a copper compound which helps in healing after an injury or scalding and also helps in preventing heart disorders.

In addition to all these health benefits, snails are tasty, juicy, delicious nutritious and cheaper than any red meat. Snail farming can make any villager rich if he knows how to rear snails. Snail farming is relatively cheaper in Nigeria than chicken or fish farming.

...TO BE CONTINUED FROM "Suitable Species of Snails for Farming"
I'm sure you won't want to miss the juicy parts of snail farming
Love you big