Effect of two diets on the growth of the Helix aspersa Müller during the juvenile stage

We have been studied the effect of two diets one the growth of the Helix aspersa Müller during the juvenile stage under laboratory conditions. Diet I consists of commercial layer’s mash. We used ten lots of forty animals of 0.34 + 0.05 g, assigning five to each diet and keep them during the 6 first weeks of life in the laboratory conditions described by Perea et al. (2003) and García et al. (2004). The results show that the diet with forage (II) presents low growth rates (81 mg), high variability (24.56%) and asymmetrical distribution of individual (the hypothesis of normality is rejected). On the other hand the diet with commercial feed (I) shows high growth (955 mg), low variability (13.50%) and a normal distribution of the weight. The diet II with forage does not show a relationship between the weight and the age. In the case of the diet with commercial feed is possible consider a regression model between the weight and the age with a coefficient of determination of 90% and a level of signification of P<0.0001. Also we find significant differences (P<0.001) in the conversion index, being higher in the diet I, with a lower mortality. Introduction. Heliciculture have various alternative systems of production, with different handling and feed options. Extensive systems are characterized by a low technification level and these support feed on green vegetables. In the other side we find intensive systems with a high level of technification and compound feed are used for feeding. Several authors consider that feeding snails with green vegetables do no provide adequate growth rate to commercial snail breeding (Daguzan, 1981). However these systems are very common in the Mediterranean area.