Chemical Composition and Nutrients Digestibility of Thai Native Chicken Feed Containing Various Levels of Pond Snail Meal

Abstract

The experiment was carried out to determine the chemical composition and digestibility of pond snail meal (PSM) in Thai native chicken (TNC) feed. Twenty-eight Thai native cocks.25 weeks old (Paduhangdum Chiang Mai strain) were used. Three types of pond snail preparations were used to find the nutritive value of the pond snails. The treatments were 1. snail meat (without shell), 2. cooked dried (whole snail), and 3. raw dried (whole snail). Nutrients digestibility were divided into 7 treatment groups (control, 5, 10 and 15% of cooked and snail meal) with 4 replications of one cock each. It was found that pond snail meat has the higher CP and EE than cooked and raw whole pond snail, but pond snail meat has lower CF, ash and Ca. The nutrients digestibility had no significant difference (P>0.05) in DM and CP, EE and NFE; however, DM and NFE digestibility were the highest in 5% cooked pond snails. Whereas 10% cooked pond snail had the highest digestibility of CP and Ca and 15% raw pond snail had the highest EE digestibility. Pond snail meat has high protein but whole snail has high Ca. Levels at 10% cooked pond snail meal may be suitable for Thai native chicken feed.