Laboratory Animals > Volume 25, Number 4 > Pp. 291-298

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Factors affecting the food intake, growth and protein utilization in the Helix aspersa snail. Protein content of the diet and animal age

M. R. Sanz Sampelayo, J. Fonolla and F. Gil Extremera

Departamento de Fisiología, Animal Estación Experimental del Zaidín (CS1C), Profesor Albareda, 1, 18008 Granada, Spain

Food intake, growth and protein utilization were studied in the Helix aspersa snail by means of a nutritional balance experiment. This was designed in a 5·11 factorial arrangement involving 5 diets of different protein content (10·0, 12·5, 15·0, 17·5 and 20·0%) and 11 animal ages (ranging over 15 to 180 days of age). Dietary protein content and animal age determined food intake and protein utilization. The variations of dry matter and protein intake rates, growth rates, growth effeciency factors and protein retention rates, depending on dietary protein content or animal age were in agreement with what happens in other animals. These results suggest that there is no need to use diets with more than 17·5% of crude protein in these animals.

Key Words: HELIX ASPERSA • FOOD INTAKE • GROWTH • PROTEIN UTILIZATION

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