Grape snail: breeding, keeping conditions. snail farm

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The grape snail, which began 40 years ago, has gone from a small handicraft to a large-scale agro-industrial production.

Green Farm

For many years in Europe, this type of mollusk was collected in its natural habitat. This led to a decrease in the population of wild snails, so their collection was banned.

With the adoption of strict hygienic requirements for food quality, food is now no longer considered a food source. This is due to requirements to protect consumers from toxic plants or hazardous chemicals.

After several years of experimentation and testing, a method has been developed in Italy to breed snails in open "pastures", which has proven to be less labor intensive and more cost-effective than growing them indoors or in greenhouses.

Economic benefitsimplemented after the initial installation of the perimeter and internal fencing. Financial return is expected no earlier than in 12-14 months.

The running costs of this method (compared to greenhouse or indoor production) are lower, and the main costs are only for seeds, soil preparation and planting of vegetables.

The grape snail, whose price ranges from 3 to 3.7 euros per kilogram, is a profitable breeding object.

Selection of site and soil structure

The snail farm is organized in open pastures with suitable plants grown on them, serving as food and shelter for mollusks. Shading cover is not used. When choosing a location for the snail farm, the prevailing wind direction is taken into account, as strong winds dry out the soil.

Soil analysis and disinfection is underway to ensure suitable conditions for growing leafy green vegetables and eradicating carnivorous insects and pests. Loose soil with an acidity of 5.8–7.5 pH is recommended. Too acidic soil for the production of snails is unsuitable. The calcium content in it should be about 3-4%. Soil texture is medium to light. Clay soil is not suitable for oviposition, as it is too difficult for snails to dig and it becomes waterlogged easily.

It is important that plants and shellfish are kept moist by dew, rain or controlled fog. The snail (photo shown in the article) moves more easily when the leavesand the ground is wet. They eat more and grow faster under the right environmental conditions.

Rain and controlled irrigation are essential for snail production.

Good soil drainage is essential to keep water from pooling on the ground in puddles.

The breeding area should be free of large trees as they attract birds of prey, shade plants and prevent dew formation.

Where to buy grape snails for breeding? Farmers who purchase shellfish from snail collectors or the market should expect high mortality due to poor adaptation to other foods. The most reliable source of breeding material are well-known producers or agricultural institutes. Such a grape snail (its price will be higher) is better and safer, since it received proper nutrition from birth and was not damaged during collection and storage.

Plot size

Grape snail farms vary in size, depending on who runs them. Fans who grow shellfish in small quantities use an area of 10 to 20 acres. Farmers who do this as an alternative to other activities occupy an average of 30 acres to 1 hectare. Large commercial growers usually start with 2 ha and can use 30 ha as the business grows. Additional crop areas outside of those reserved for snails are occupied by secondary crops such assunflower.

Site preparation

The area is cleared of grass and weeds by using a contact herbicide. The soil is then cultivated with a rotary cultivator, with a fence erected around the perimeter. Fertilizers are introduced into the soil, chemical pest control is carried out from insects and animals. The site is then divided into sections for the production of the first year, and wooden posts are installed to support the internal railings.

The soil is re-prepared by subsequent rotary loosening and, if required, the addition of lime, and irrigation is established. Sowing is carried out after the surface is leveled and internal fences are erected. Finally, the lanes are again treated with a contact herbicide to facilitate maintenance.

Food

What to feed grape snails? Since these mollusks are vegetarians, they love a variety of vegetables and grains. However, feeding in "producing pasture" systems typically only includes plants with fleshy green leaves that contain mineral s alts, nitrates, sulfates, and carbonates that promote shell formation.

In the efficient production of snails, plants perform two functions. They are food and protect from the sun, rainstorms and hail. Such plants are, for example, burdock, plantain, sorrel, chervil and sunflower. In Italy, beets, field cabbage, chicory, artichokes, radishes and sunflowers are planted.

Sown by hand to ensure a dense soil cover, and the type of plantingdepends on the season (winter and summer crops). Sowing time is of great importance - there should be enough vegetation to constantly have something to feed the snails. To achieve maximum yield and shellfish production, acreage rotation is essential.

After the plants appear, a snail (photo is given in the article) is selected for brood and placed behind the fence at the rate of 25 Helix aspera or 20 Helix pomatia per square meter.

The planting time of summer and winter crops may differ, as well as their type.

Outer fence

The outer perimeter is protected with sheets of galvanized iron. They are buried to a depth of 30-40 cm and strengthened with supporting wooden or iron posts. The main purpose of the perimeter is to prevent the entry of predators, especially those that are able to burrow. There must be a cleared area between the perimeter and the inner fence. If any of the snails make it past the inner fences, the walkway and outer fence will prevent it from going any further.

Adding wire mesh and electrified wire over galvanized sheets provides better safety for shellfish production.

Internal railings

Internal fences are used to separate breeding and fattening areas. The fences are made of durable black Helitex polyethylene. It has two downward facing flaps at 40 cm and 70 cm from the ground to prevent snails from spreading. Wooden posts to support polyethyleneset at a distance of 3-4 meters. They are buried at least 10 cm deep in the ground. The zone is usually 20-45 m long and 2-4 m wide.

When newborn snails hatch in the breeding area, the fences can be moved.

Pests

Animals and insects that can cause problems with snail production are numerous.

These include carnivorous beetles such as carabidi, calosomidi, lampiridi and especially stafilinids that attack and kill young. Beetles live in the soil and love moist environments just like snails. Stafilinids pose the greatest threat. During site preparation, chemical pest control is mainly used to eradicate these pests.

Crows and magpies are birds whose diet also includes the grape snail. The shell is broken by the beak and the contents are eaten. The thrushes beat the clams against the stones until they are freed from the shell.

For lizards, snakes and toads, snails are a delicacy, especially when young, so the outer fence must be sunk into the ground to prevent these predators from entering. Rats also feed on snails, especially during the winter when food sources are limited. Rabbits, hares and moles are also a problem because they eat crops and damage snails by trampling them.

Grape snail: breeding

In early spring, breeding snails are selected for reproduction and placed in a new environment. They are selected for size and quality and transferred to a designated breeding sector withgrown leaves.

In the first year, no more than 25 Helix aspersa per square meter are placed in breeding areas. Overcrowding will cause dwarfism, low weight and mortality due to slime on the ground.

The selected snails are closely monitored for the first few days as they will attempt to escape and may suffer from environmental stress.

Crops grown in the reproduction area should not exceed 50 cm. In the second year, the density drops to 15 snails per square meter as the mortality rate drops. Shellfish are locally bred, so they acclimate better to the environment and experience less stress.

Grape snail: care, maintenance

After birth, young snails are allowed to grow for about three months before they are placed in feeding areas with a fresh crop. It is important that the crops grow densely and provide protection from the summer sun. Crops should not rise more than 25 cm and are also pruned to encourage new leaf growth and air circulation. During the growing season, when plantings are depleted, it is necessary to supplement the diet with cut plants and dry food.

Winter sleep

In December and January, snail activity ceases and they seal themselves in their shells for hibernation. In cold climates, in autumn, shellfish are covered with a thin film of material that protects them from hypothermia. Because of this, the temperaturesoil rises by 5-10 degrees. At the end of autumn, the hedge is removed, the remaining plantations are plowed in and the soil is prepared for a new summer crop.

Production problems

The reasons for failure are often:

• Bad management.
• Problems of reproduction due to the complex biology of snails.
• Insufficient funding.
• Poor soil preparation.
• Wrong choice of crops.
• Insufficient rotation.
• Overproduction.
• Presence of predators and lack of sufficient water for plants and shellfish.

Collecting and preparing for sale

Snails are harvested after they reach maturity. This happens when the edge of the sole becomes hard - the clams are ripe and will not grow again. The snails are harvested weekly or at the farmer's convenience, usually in the fall and spring, and transferred to cages for 7 days to rid their digestive system of soil and food debris. Mollusks are placed in a cool place without food and water in cages made of mesh or wire. During the cleansing period, snails lose 20% of their weight and hide in the shell, but can remain in this state for two months if kept in a cool place with a temperature of about 4-6 ° C.

Then it's time to sell. Snails are packed in mesh bags (like onions), waxed cardboard boxes or, if there are many, in wooden boxes.

Shells are sold in grocery stores and purchased by restaurants. In Italy, for example, culinary festivals are regularly held, andthe use of snails is often their distinguishing feature. 60% of live snails are distributed through the fish section of stores.

CV

Research on snail breeding methods over the past 40 years has made it possible to rationalize and better structure all methods. The need to streamline this fishery arose with the growing consumption of this type of molluscs throughout the world. A better organization of the farming system has led to a more efficient way of raising snails - "open production".

The snail, which is farmed in an open environment, produces a lot of high-quality meat, it is larger in size and tastier than shellfish grown indoors or greenhouses.

Success depends on the potential farmer's ability to apply this production method to local climatic and natural conditions. Studies conducted in Italy have shown that the number of marketable snails that each individual selected for breeding produces is on average 20. Mollusks need 10 to 12 months to reach the required size. Mass production of snails is possible as long as there are no major problems during fattening or there is sufficient space.

Snail snail, which requires a suitable environment, cultivation of certain crops, continuous crop rotation and low concentration of shellfish, will reward with abundant offspring and rapid growth. Combined with proper care and protection from predators, snails onlybenefit from the completion of a complete biological cycle in natural conditions, which should lead to their high quality.