Effect of Replacing Bone Ash with Fresh Water Snail (Pila Ampullacea) Shell Ash on Serum Biochemical Indices of Weaned Rabbits

Twenty five (25) mixed breed weaned rabbits were utilized in 84-days experiment to investigate the effect of replacing bone ash with fresh water snail (Pila ampullacea) shell ash on the serum biochemical composition of weaned rabbits. The experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria for a period of 12 weeks. The rabbits were randomly assigned to the five dietary treatments and replicated five times giving a total of one rabbit per replicate in a completely randomized design (CRD). Rabbits were raised intensively in hutches of about 4ft × 4ft. Five experimental diets tagged T1 to T5 were formulated such that fresh water snail (Pila ampullacea) shell ash replaced bone ash at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Feed and water were served ad libitum. Bio sanitary and bio security measures were strictly adhered to. At the end of the feeding trial, three rabbits per treatment were selected for the evaluation of serum biochemistry. The parameters assayed for were: total serum protein, serum globulin, serum albumin, cholesterol, serum calcium, and serum phosphorus. The study showed that the serum biochemical indices were not influenced (P˃0.05) by the dietary treatments except for calcium which was significantly (P<0.05) influenced, however, calcium values were within the normal reference values for rabbits. This study had shown that fresh water snail (Pila ampullacea) shell ash can serve as a substitute for bone ash in weaned rabbit diet up to 100% inclusion levels without adverse effect on the serum biochemical indices.

Effect of Replacing Bone Ash with Fresh Water Snail (Pila ampullacea) Shell Ash on the Performance of Weaned Rabbits

Twenty five weaned male rabbits of mixed breeds were used to investigate the effect of replacing bone ash with fresh water snail shell ash on the performance of weaned rabbits. The experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria for a period of 12 weeks. The rabbits were randomly assigned to the five dietary treatments and replicated five times giving a total of one rabbit per replicate in a completely randomized design (CRD). Rabbits were raised intensively in hutches of about 4ft × 4ft. Five experimental diets tagged T1 to T5 were formulated such that fresh water snail shell ash replaced bone ash at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Feed and water were served ad libitum. Bio sanitary and bio security measures were strictly adhered. The study showed that the growth parameters were not affected (P=.05) by the dietary treatments. This study had shown that fresh water snail shell ash can serve as a substitute for bone ash in weaned rabbits diet up to 100% without compromising their performances.

LARVA TREMATODA PADA SIPUT AIR TAWAR DI AREAL PERSAWAHAN DAERAH ISTIMEWA YOGYAKARTA

The life cycle of Digenea subclass trematodes that mostly involves snails as intermediate host in the larval stage in the form of sporocysts, redia and cercariae. This study aims to determine the species of freshwater snails, populations and stages of trematoda larvae that infect freshwater snails in the paddy fields and also the factors that influence the population of trematoda larvae. This research method uses purposive random sampling. Snails were collected from paddy fields in Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta City and Bantul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta. Snails and Trematodes larvae were identified based on morphological characters with a microscope. The results showed that the species of freshwater snail as an inang antara of Trematode was Lymnaea sp. (96.9%), Pomacea canaliculata (2.6%), and Brotia sp. (0.5%). The total population of trematoda larvae in freshwater snails was 4329 individuals with the largest population in Sleman Regency (2784 individuals). Trematode larval stages found were sporocysts (4.8%), redia (8.3%), Leptocercous type cercariae (35.2%), and Furcocercous type cercariae (51.7%). The most trematode larvae found in fresh water snail was Furcocercous type cercariae. Factor affecting trematode larvae population are the species and abundance of freshwater snail.