Enhancing Giant African Land Snail (Archachatina marginata) production with Thymus vulgaris (Lamiaceae) in the south-west region of Cameroon

This study was designed to determine the effect of Thymus vulgaris leaf meal on the production of Archachatina marginata. Two hundred and twenty-four adult snails were divided into four treatments of 14 snails and four replicates. Treatment T0 received only the experimental diet while three other treatments received diets with different inclusion levels of T. vulgaris leaf meal at 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75%. Feed and leftovers were quantified daily using an electronic weighing scale. The results obtained show that feed intake was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in animals receiving 0.75% T. vulgaris, compared to other treatments. Likewise, the values of cardiac and pedal mass were higher in animals receiving 0.25% inclusion of T. vulgaris in their diet. Low relative weight variations in the internal organs across treatments were observed but significant differences occurred regarding only the shell weight and ovotestis. The results obtained from the proximate analysis of snail flesh show that dry matter was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in animals receiving 0.25% T. vulgaris in their diet. Minerals analyzed were also significantly affected (P < 0.05) by the inclusion of T. vulgaris in the diet. In conclusion, incorporation of T. vulgaris leaf powder at 0.25% can be recommended in the diet of snails.