Snail farming profit is massive, around 40,000 Euro can be achieved in 1 acre. Although growing snails for profit is not that easy after reading this blog post beginners can also generate a good profit. So, it is requested to read the content carefully and implement it accordingly.
Snail farming in US, UK is popular due to suitable climate conditions. Beginners want to start this farming and experts want to scale and raise snails for profits.
Snail farming profit per acre
Snail farming is a profitable business if done with good practices. Revenue of 40,000 Euro can be achieved by selling 10 tons of snails on a 1-acre farm.
Snail farming business
Snail farming is commonly known as Heliculture. It is the process of raising edible land snails mainly for human consumption and cosmetic use. Snail meat and eggs are consumed as a dish which is called escargot. Escargot is a French word for snail which is quite popular in France and is often served as an hors d’oeuvre.
In the Western world, commercial snail farming is typically done with Cornu aspersum which is formally known as Helix aspersa. For commercial farming, African snails are preferred in tropical climates.
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Snail farming for beginners
If you are wondering how to start snail farming at home then you should follow the phases. Key factors for successful farming are hygiene, feeding, population density and climate soil, and correct practices.
Phases
Snail hibernation period – For future reproduction purposes hibernation of snails is necessary for 3 months.
Snail breeding process – Breeding is an important phase and if ideal conditions are provided to snails then it will result in higher breeding and successful farming. Almost all breeders allow snails to mate with one another on their own.
Hatchery and nursery– After the egg-laying processes the pots are put in the nursery for the hatching process.
Snails nursery time period – Six weeks is the time period for young snails to be kept in the nursery and after 6 weeks they are moved to a separate pen. 8 hours of daylight is sufficient for young snails. They do best if kept with a similar size.
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Cannibalism by hatchlings – Cannibalism is the process of consuming another individual of the same species as food. Snails usually eat the shells of their eggs to gain the calcium needed for their shells. Then they may eat unhatched eggs.
Eggs hatching time – If the eggs are kept at the temperature of 20 °C (68 °F) and if eggs do not lose moisture in this case most eggs will hatch within 1 to 3 days of each other. These eggs have massive protein content 12 to 20 times the protein of lettuce. Generally, protein helps baby snails to develop faster and healthier. Moreover, eggs are excellent starter food for newborn snails.
Stages of growing snails
They grow from juvenile to mature size. Fattening pens, plastic sheets and fattening feed are some important requirements for snail farming.
Snail fattening pans can be outside or in a greenhouse. One of the biggest drawbacks of growing snails inside a greenhouse is that if the sun overheats the building or sprinkler system supplies the moisture it will cause somewhat higher temperatures resulting in dwarfing and malformation of some snails.
Fattening pens – 2 by 3 feet (0.61 by 0.91m).
Plastic sheets – 4 inches (10 cm) sheets are used as resting places.
Fattening feed – Coarse sand layer and earthworms with topsoil (organic matter and microorganisms) are placed in the bottom of the fattening pen as a snail-fattening food. The worms are helpful for cleanup of the snail droppings.
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Harvest
If lip is formed while the snail shell it means they are mature for harvesting. Shells are easily broken once they mature. The largest and heaviest snails are selected for next-generation breeders and the rest are sold. Breeders are around 5% of the harvest whereas eggs are also harvested and processed to escargot caviar or caviar. Snail caviar is a luxury gourmet that is specially produced in Poland and France.
Harvest time – Snails can be harvested after 7 to 8 months of age. Harvesting takes place 3 times in a year February, March and May.
Weight of snail in grams – H. Aspera snail commercial weight is 8 grams or larger.
How to start snail farm in US
To start snail farming it is good to follow the information given in this blog post. Fatterning pens, plastic sheets, and harvesting time are given in the above paragraph. Whereas climate, temperature, humidity and soil info are given below.
Climate conditions
Suitable climate for raising snails – They gets dehydrated easily therefore you should choose a wind-protected environment for growing snails.
Climate – 15-25 °C (59-77 °F) is the best climate for snail farms.
Humidity – They like high humidity 75% to 95%.
Wind– The wind is bad for them because it causes quick moisture loss and moisture is necessary for snails.
Best temperature
- Best temp for snail – 21 °C (70 °F).
- Hibernation temperature – Temperature below 7 °C (45 °F).
- Inactive – Under 12 °C (54 °F) they get inactive.
- Snail dead – Under 10 °C (50 °F) their growth stops.
- Bad temperature – Temp above 27 °C (81 °F) too dry conditions.
Best soil
- Soil with 20 to 40% organic matter content.
- Soil pH should be around 7.
- Soil with less sand and less clay.
- Soil mix – Leaf mould (pH 7), peat, clay, compost, CaCO3.
Soil treatment
Farmers have to prevent the soil from becoming fouled with mucus and dropping. Moreover, farmers need to tackle changes that occur due to chemicals.
Snail rearing business advantages and disadvantages
Advantages farming snails
Small land – The first advantage is they need very little space and they are very small in size.
At home – One can easily start snail farming at home or in the backyard of the house.
Manure – Snails and their wastage can be used as manure.
Environment friendly – Snail farms are environment friendly in comparison to pigs and poultry farms. Snail farms US, Ireland and the UK are peaceful and hygienic in comparison to India.
Business – Farmers can earn good money in less time farming snails.
Less risk – It is a less risky business in comparison to other livestock farming businesses such as pig farming, poultry farming, goat farming etc.
Disease – One can prevent disease in snails by invading the snail pens.
Economics – The demand is higher in comparison to the supply meaning better options for starting a snail rearing business.
Meat benefits – Its meat contains a high content of protein, iron and calcium whereas has a very low content of fat and cholesterol.
Snail slime uses – Slime is the byproduct of snails and has a huge demand in the pharmaceutical industry, manufacturing industries and fisheries industries.
Snail slime products – Slime products are used in beauty products and are more valuable than gold. Hence has a massive demand worldwide.
Slime commodity – Snail slime is such a commodity which is mostly exported rather than imported thus it earns foreign exchange.
Feed – Its feed is readily available in markets and farmers can easily get feed. Moreover, a not very high amount of feeding is required in the snail business.
Hermaphrodite – Each snail can produce 100-150 eggs because every snail has male and female reproductive organs.
Disadvantages of snail farming
Less meat – Its meat is only 41% of its total weight therefore they are required in a large number for profitable snail farming.
Climate conditions – To raise snails for profit they should be grown in the tropical forest zone.
Growing snail – For growing snails constant temperature, high humidity, and no dry season is required throughout the year.
Cultural reason – Due to some cultural and mythological reasons it is not preferred by some of the countries.
Damaged plants – Escaped snails from the farm develop into pests and damage to the plants leading to economic loss of agriculture.
Snail farming history
It seems that snails have been eaten since prehistoric times because roasted snail shells have been found In archaeological excavations.
Lumaca Romana (Roman snail) was an ancient method of snail farming (heliculture) in the Tarquinia region. Tarquinia is an old city in the province of Viterbo. In 49 BC this particular method was described by Fulvius Lippinus and mentioned by Marcus Terentius Varro. In this procedure, they were growing snails for human consumption using Dinkel wheat or Hulled wheat (spelt) and aromatic herbs.
Snail pen (Cochlea snail shell) – Even at that time people used to raise snails in pens near the house and these pens were called “Cochlea.”
Wallfish snails – In ancient days wall wallfish were often eaten in Britain but did not gain popularity. People often ate snails during some religious activities including Lent. They also used to consume large quantities of snails at Mardi Gras or Carnivals as a foretaste of fast (lent).
Brown garden – There are a couple of claims behind brown garden snail origin in specific countries. According to some sources, brown garden snails were usually raised as delicious escargot and in the 1850s the French exported brown garden snails to California. Whereas, some other sources claim that brown garden snails were first brought by Italian immigrants to the United States.
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