By Nneka Nwogwugwu
A scientist of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan, Prof. Boye Omole, has recommended ways snail farmers can prevent their farms from disease outbreak.
Omole gave the recommendation in a recent interview in Ibadan.
He recommended that good feeding, adequate shading, proper mulching, optimum stocking rate and sufficient wetting as measures to curtail the outbreak of diseases on snail farms.
He urged snail farmers to always remove the dry leaves used for mulching and cover the snails well with new dry leaves.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria, he advised snail farmers to always remove and burn dead snails outside their farms.
Omole also advised them to always dig the top soil in the housing unit to a depth of between 2cm and 3cm and replace it with humus soil.
The professor noted that healthy snails should be washed in clean water and put in the housing unit carefully.
To prevent diseases on the farm, Omole urged farmers to always purchase foundation stock from the same farm, select good breeds for rearing and maintain good hygiene on the farm.
The animal scientist advised farmers to always give fresh water to their snails, wash their feeding and water trough thoroughly and rear the same breeds of snails on the same farm.
“Do not give mouldy or fermented feed to the snails, and call the attention of the expert if there is a change in the behaviour of the animals.
“Always cut the bush around the snail farm very well,” he said.
Omole stated that if the foundation stock of the snails were sourced from different locations such as markets and different farms, it could lead to an outbreak of diseases.
He said that Achatina Fulia could survive in harsh environment than Achatina Marginata and Achatina Achatina.
“The latter prefers dumpier environment than the former; rearing of these breeds together in the same pen can cause discomfort, morbidity and mortality,” he said.
Omole noted that one of the major causes of ill health in snail farming is high temperature, adding that if the temperature in pens is above 33°C, the snail will be inactive.
“Snails are nocturnal animals; they don’t like direct sunlight. If the intensity of the sun is high, the dark brown shell will turn whitish.
“Also, sickness in snail farming can be caused by overstocking; if the recommended stocking rate is not followed, it can result to disease outbreak.
“Mouldy or contaminated feed can also be a cause of sickness; snails will not do well if the relative humidity of the environment is below 50 per cent.
“The animal will perform well when the relative humidity of the environment is above 80 per cent,” he said.
Omole explained that snails would show signs of ill health if the pens were flooded, adding that flooding would cause difficulty in breathing for the animals.
The professor, however, outlined the signs of ill health to include: inactiveness, dryness of the fleshy part, colour of the shell, loss of weight and nodules on the fleshy part.