Effect of the Inclusion Rate of Cashew Nut Cake in the Diet on the Physical and Chemical Characteristics and Survival of Achatina achatina (Linnaeus, 1758) Reared in Northern Côte d’Ivoire
N’Dri Saint-Clair Amani *
Department of Animal Biology, Environment, Climate, Health, Engineering and Sustainable Development Laboratory, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Peleforo Gon Coulibaly University, Côte d’Ivoire.
Koffi Sylvanus Aubert Yao
Laboratory of Biological and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Alassane Ouattara University, Côte d’Ivoire.
Konan Jean Bedel Alla
Department of Animal Biology, Environment, Climate, Health, Engineering and Sustainable Development Laboratory, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Peleforo Gon Coulibaly University, Côte d’Ivoire.
Atcho Otchoumou
Animal Biology and Cytology Laboratory, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Nangui Abrogoua University, Côte d’Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The use of locally available agricultural by-products in snail diets to improve production performance and meat quality remains a challenge for snail farmers. This study evaluated the effects of replacing soya meal with cashew nut cake on carcass characteristics, flesh composition and survival of Achatina achatina. A 12-week trial involved 270 one-month-old snails with an initial mean weight of 2.55 ± 0.54 g. The animals were assigned to three dietary treatments, each comprising three replicates of 30 snails. The control diet (RT) used soya meal as the plant protein source, whereas diets R5 and R10 replaced 5% and 10% of the soya meal, respectively, with cashew nut cake. Carcass characteristics were measured after the trial, and the chemical composition of the flesh was compared among the dietary groups and with that of wild snails purchased at the market. Carcass yield did not differ significantly among the diets and ranged from 31.48% to 34.52%. Wild snails had the highest moisture content (4.4%), whereas R5 and R10 had the highest fat contents (9.8% and 9.4%, respectively). Crude protein content increased from 59.7% in RT to 63.4% in R5 and 63.7% in R10, while carbohydrate content decreased. Survival rates were 93.33% for R5, 92.22% for R10 and 85.55% for RT. Under the conditions of this trial, replacing up to 10% of soya meal with cashew nut cake maintained carcass yield and was associated with higher flesh protein content and survival.
Keywords: Achatina achatina, cashew nut cake, carcass characteristics, flesh composition, dietary protein, agro-industrial by-product, survival rate, snail farming, soya meal replacement