Growth and Morphometric Response of Black and White Noiler Chickens to Snail Slime Supplementation

Growth and Morphometric Response of Black and White Noiler Chickens to Snail Slime Supplementation | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Growth and Morphometric Response of Black and White Noiler Chickens to Snail Slime Supplementation Olugbenga Samson Abe This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9075577/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The study evaluated the effect of snail slime supplementation on growth performance and morphometric traits of noiler chickens with different plumage colours. A total of 192 noiler chickens comprising 96 black and 96 brown plumage types were used for the experiment and were randomly assigned to four treatments. Each treatment has three replicates with 8 birds each. Treatment 1 (T1) served as the control and received vitamins and antibiotics in drinking water, while T2, T3 and T4 received 10 ml, 20 ml and 30 ml of snail slime respectively diluted in 30 cl of water. Weekly body weight gain was measured for four weeks, and morphometric traits including back length, wing length, breast width, breast length, beak length and shank length were also recorded. Data obtained were analysed using the two-way analysis of variance. The results showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) among treatments in weekly weight gain across both plumage types. However, black plumage birds generally recorded higher numerical weight gains than brown plumage birds. Survival rate was slightly higher in snail slime treatments (96%) compared with the control group (92%). Similarly, morphometric traits did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) among treatments for both plumage types. The study concluded that snail slime supplementation in drinking water did not negatively affect growth performance or body conformation of noiler chickens but could serve as a potential natural additive in poultry production which will subsequently reduce cost on medication and alleviate public health concerns on drug residuals. Plumage colour body conformation proximate composition mineral composition poultry nutrition INTRODUCTION Poultry production is a key element animal industry, guaranteeing food security and providing affordable sources of high-quality animal protein in many developing countries. Chicken products are consumed in large quantity due to their relatively low cost, high nutritional value, and short production cycle compared with other livestock species. In poultry production, nutrition and genetics play a major role in the overall performance of the animal. One of the genetic variations in poultry is the plumage colour, though it is only a visible phenotypic characteristic, it may also be associated with genetic differences affecting growth, adaptability, and production traits (FAO, 2012). Studies have shown that variations in plumage colour may be linked to differences in body weight, growth rate, and morphological characteristics among poultry populations (Yakubu et al., 2009 ). Morphometric characteristics such as back length, wing length, breast width, breast length, beak length, and shank length are important indicators of body conformation and structural development in poultry. These measurements are often used to assess growth patterns, predict body weight, and evaluate the overall physical development of birds (Yakubu and Ari, 2018 ). Understanding how dietary or environmental factors influence these traits can help improve management and breeding practices in poultry production. In Nigeria and many parts of Africa, poultry production has expanded significantly in recent years as a result of increasing demand for animal protein and the need to improve household income and nutrition (FAO, 2019). However, its expansion is limited and sometimes hindered by factors such as disease outbreaks, high cost of feed, poor management practices, and dependence on synthetic growth promoters and antibiotics. The use of medications like antibiotics and other synthetic growth promoters in poultry production has been a common practice for a long time, to improve growth rate, feed efficiency, and control disease. However, the continuous use of these substances has raised serious concerns regarding antibiotic resistance, drug residues in animal products, and potential risks to human health (Windisch et al., 2008 ; Alagawany et al., 2017 ). In view of this public health concerns, many countries have restricted or banned the routine use of antibiotic growth promoters in animal production. Thus, there is growing interest in exploring natural alternatives such as plant extracts, probiotics, enzymes, and other bioactive substances that can boost productivity while keeping food safety and animal welfare. One promising natural substance that has drawn scientific attention in recent years is snail slime (mucus). Snail slime is a biological secretion produced by terrestrial snails. Among the terrestrial snail common in Nigeria is the African giant snail (A. marginata), which is a land, nocturnal, invertebrate animal of the phylum mollusca (Olagbende-dada, 2015 ). They are mostly found in the forest, farms and gardens where they have unlimited vegetation to feed on. They can be seen commonly through raining season when rain fall is abundant (Robert, 2009 ). The snail is covered with a shell which protects the soft moist flesh and is known to produce a lot of slime which helps to keep the skin moist. Humans have used snails for food for many generations and nowadays snails are common food consumed by millions of people worldwide (Cagiltay et al., 2011 ). Snails naturally produce mucus from their salivary glands, epidermal cells of the foot, mantle, and pedal glands (Mariadoss, 2025). Snail mucus is composed of 90–99.7% water, and the remaining 0.3–10% of snail mucus is composed of other active ingredients and diverse bioactive compounds, including glycoproteins, proteoglycans, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, enzymes, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and other compounds (Rashad et al., 2025 ). High levels of collagen, glycolic acid, allantoin, elastin, vitamins (A, B & E), and several minerals, including copper, nickel, and chromium, are present in snail mucus (Mariadoss, 2025). The bioactive compounds present in snail mucus are responsible for its diverse pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-acne, anti-aging, wound-healing, and anti-cancer properties (Rashad et al., 2025 ; Trapella et al., 2018 ). Reported studies also suggest that the natural adhesive property of snail mucus exhibits superior wound-healing activity through mechanisms involving cell migration, proliferation, and angiogenesis in diabetic wounds. Although snail slime has been extensively studied for its medical and dermatological applications, its potential use as a natural additive in livestock and poultry production is still relatively unexplored. Despite the increasing interest in natural additives in poultry nutrition, there is limited information on the effects of snail slime supplementation on the growth performance and morphometric characteristics of noiler chickens. Furthermore, the interaction between snail slime supplementation and plumage colour phenotypes has not been widely investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of snail slime supplementation in drinking water on the weekly weight gain and morphometric traits of noiler chickens with different plumage colours (black and brown). The findings from this study are expected to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on the use of natural bioactive substances as potential alternatives to conventional growth promoters in poultry production. MATERIALS AND METHODS Collection of slime The slime used for the study was gotten from African giant snail ( A. marginata ). This breed of snail is chosen because it is known for producing high-quality slime. The snails were wash thoroughly with water to remove dirt, mud, and contaminants from their shells and bodies before beginning the extraction process. Water stimulation method was used to collect the slime. The snail was immersed in mild saline solution of 0.9% salt concentration for a period of 2 minutes. After immersion, they were removed and place on a slanted surface to allow for more release of slime to drip down into a collection container. After collection, the slime was filtered to remove any dirt, particles, or snail excrement. This is done using fine mesh filters or sieves. The slime was carefully stored in a bottle and kept under room temperature for the experiment to commence. Proximate and mineral analysis The slime was subjected to proximate analysis to determine the ash, crude protein, crude fat, moisture and carbohydrate using the standard AOAC methods (1990). The analysis was carried out as described by Danladi et al. ( 2020 ). The estimates were expressed in percentage of the sample weight. Table 1 Proximate analysis of the snail slime. Parameters Percentage Moisture 96.7 Ash 0.88 Crude fat 0.10 Crude Protein 1.32 Carbohydrate 1.00 The mineral elements comprising calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium and trace elements (iron and zinc) were determined using the method described by Danladi et al. ( 2020 ). Table 2 Mineral composition of the snail slime. Parameters mg/100g Calcium 6.22 Phosphorus 7.88 Sodium 0.01 Potassium 3.00 magnesium 2.22 Iron 0.44 Zinc 0.55 Copper 0.01 Manganese 0.05 Selenium 0.01 Experimental animals and management A total of 192 day old noiler chicks, consisting of 96 black plumage and 96 brown plumage were procure from a reputable farm with known plumage colour pedigree. On arrival, the chicks were randomly allotted to four treatments of 48 chicks (24 black plumage and 24 brown plumage) per treatment and 16 chicks (8 black and 8 brown) per replicate at 3 replicates per treatment. Necessary brooding management were carried out for two weeks. The experiment lasted for 28 days. The chicks were fed ad libitum with commercial starter crumble feed for 21 days and commercial grower crumble feed for the last 7 days. The chicks were given snail slime water solution from day one. The snail slime was added in water at the rate of 10ml in 30cl of water for treatment 2 (T2), 20ml in 30cl of water for treatment 3 (T3) and 30ml in 30cl of water for treatment 4 (T4) while the water in treatment 1 (T1), the control, was added vitamins and antibitotics. This water treatment for all the chicks was carried out for 3 days from day 1 and day 21 of the experiment. The experiment lasted for 28days Data collection Data on body weight were measured on weekly basis according to the plumage colour with the aid of sensitive scale of 0.05 sensitivity. The following parameters were measured; Initial weight (IW): This was measured at the beginning of the experiment and at the beginning of every week in other to estimate the weekly weight gain. Final weight (FW): This was measured at the end of every week using a sensitive scale in other to estimate the weekly gain of the animal. Data on morphometric body traits were measured at two weeks interval with the aid of measuring tape. The following morphometric data were taken; Back length (cm); This was measured as the distance from the base of the beak to the base of the tail. Wing length (cm): This was determined by measuring from the beginning of the wing joint to the tip of the wing. Beak length (cm): This was measured from the end of the nasal cavity to the tip of the beak. Breast width (cm): This was determined by measuring the circumference of the fleshiest (tip of the breast) part of the breast. Breast length (cm): This was measured from the cardiac to the basal region. Shank length (cm): This was measured from kneel joint to the middle of the feet. Statistical analysis The data collected were analysed using a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) option of general linear model of SPSS 2015 version 23. Means between treatments were separated for significance using the Duncan multiple range test (DMRT) of the same package at probability level of 0.05. The general linear model is: $${Y}_{ijk}=\mu+{T}_{i}+{P}_{j}+(TP{)}_{ij}+{\epsilon}_{ijk}$$ Where: \({Y}_{ijk}\) = observed response (weight gain or morphometric trait) \(\mu\) = overall mean \({T}_{i}\) = effect of treatment (i = T1, T2, T3, T4) \({P}_{j}\) = effect of plumage type (j = Black, Brown) \(\left(TP{)}_{ij}\right.\) = interaction effect between treatment and plumage \({e}_{ijk}\) = random error term RESULTS Proximate Composition of Snail Slime The proximate composition of snail slime is presented in Table 1 . The slime exhibited a very high moisture content (96.7 ± 0.10%), reflecting its primary nature as a biological secretion. The levels of macronutrients were low, with crude protein at 1.32 ± 0.02%, carbohydrate 1.00 ± 0.03%, ash 0.88 ± 0.02%, and crude fat 0.10 ± 0.02%. These results indicate that snail slime is not a significant source of macronutrients but is likely composed of water-soluble biologically active compounds (e.g., glycoproteins and peptides). Mineral Composition of Snail Slime Mineral analysis of the snail slime is shown in Table 2 . Phosphorus (7.88 ± 0.09 mg/100 g) and calcium (6.22 ± 0.21 mg/100 g) were the predominant minerals, followed by potassium (3.00 ± 0.22 mg/100 g) and magnesium (2.22 ± 0.11 mg/100 g). Trace elements such as zinc (0.55 ± 0.02 mg/100 g), iron (0.44 ± 0.07 mg/100 g), manganese (0.05 ± 0.02 mg/100 g), copper (0.01 ± 0.00 mg/100 g), selenium (0.01 ± 0.02 mg/100 g) and sodium (0.01 ± 0.01 mg/100 g) were present in lower concentrations. The presence of these minerals suggests that snail slime contains essential elements that may support physiological processes when supplemented. Weekly Weight Gain The effects of snail slime treatments and plumage types on weekly weight gain of noiler chickens are summarized in Table 3 . Across all ages (7, 14, 21, and 28 days), no significant differences were observed in weekly weight gain among the treatment groups (T1–T4) for both black and brown plumage birds (p > 0.05). At day 7, black plumage birds in the control group (T1) exhibited the highest mean weight gain; however, differences among treatments were not statistically significant (p = 0.123). Similar patterns were observed at subsequent sampling points (days 14, 21 and 28), with p-values all exceeding 0.05 in both plumage groups. Overall, weight gain increased with age in all treatment groups, but supplementation with varying levels of snail slime did not result in significant performance advantages over the control. Bird survival was high across all treatments, with 96% survival in T2, T3 and T4 (snail slime treatments) compared with 92% in the control, indicating that inclusion of snail slime did not negatively affect survivability. Table 3 Means and standard error of effect of snail slime and plumage on weekly weight gain of noiler chickens Day Plumage Treatments p-value T1 T2 T3 T4 7 Black 110.42 ± 16.85 90.30 ± 5.23 97.50 ± 7.78 95.94 ± 13.77 0.123 Brown 96.93 ± 11.21 88.54 ± 12.68 87.65 ± 4.45 79.34 ± 14.78 0.421 14 Black 285.42 ± 57.86 220.70 ± 14.85 226.33 ± 25.35 225.50 ± 20.51 0.222 Brown 247.92 ± 13.85 204.66 ± 36.90 210.18 ± 2.02 183.39 ± 1.49 0.524 21 Black 509.87 ± 133.59 413.50 ± 58.70 395.63 ± 54.62 406.75 ± 15.91 0.812 Brown 407.12 ± 8.85 377.00 ± 35.36 448.09 ± 65.64 318.81 ± 5.23 0.254 28 Black 692.17 ± 168.52 595.85 ± 142.34 545.35 ± 70.92 582.46 ± 25.75 0.089 Brown 562.23 ± 10.39 535.40 ± 1.56 532.88 ± 30.33 440.90 ± 14.28 0.521 Survival 92% 96% 96% 96% T1 = vitamins + antibitotics; T2 = 10ml snail slime + 30cl of water; T3 = 20ml snail slime + 30cl of water; T4 =30ml snail slime + 30cl of water Morphometric Traits of Noiler Chickens The morphometric measurements at the end of the experimental period are presented in Table 4 . There were no significant effects of snail slime supplementation on linear body measurements (back length, wing length, breast width, breast length, beak length, and shank length) in either plumage group (p > 0.05). While numerical variations existed among treatments, none of these reached statistical significance. For example, back length values varied within a narrow range across treatments in both black and brown plumage birds, and the absence of significant differences suggests that snail slime did not influence skeletal development or conformation under the conditions of this study. Table 4 Means and standard error of morphometric traits of noiler chickens Parameters Plumage Treatments p-value T1 T2 T3 T4 Back length Black 17.83 ± 1.30 18.00 ± 0.87 18.00 ± 1.13 16.78 ± 1.10 0.112 Brown 18.75 ± 1.44 17.05 ± 0.71 17.00 ± 0.90 15.92 ± 0.68 0.254 Wing length Black 17.15 ± 1.30 15.33 ± 1.05 16.57 ± 1.36 15.58 ± 1.26 0.562 Brown 16.75 ± 0.95 15.67 ± 0.73 16.08 ± 0.86 15.50 ± 1.12 0.566 Breast width Black 22.83 ± 1.75 21.25 ± 1.91 22.50 ± 1.40 21.67 ± 1.19 0.684 Brown 23.67 ± 1.34 20.92 ± 0.69 22.25 ± 1.17 19.92 ± 1.24 0.998 Breast length Black 12.08 ± 1.14 12.58 ± 0.61 12.15 ± 1.00 11.75 ± 0.85 0.265 Brown 12.25 ± 0.77 11.58 ± 0.52 12.00 ± 1.11 11.08 ± 0.94 0.875 Beak length Black 3.17 ± 0.28 3.23 ± .016 3.45 ± 0.23 3.33 ± 0.22 0.542 Brown 3.57 ± 0.15 3.13 ± 0.11 3.33 ± 0.27 3.40 ± 0.18 0.678 Shank length Black 8.48 ± 0.61 7.75 ± 0.86 9.02 ± 0.70 8.31 ± 0.43 0.222 Brown 9.02 ± 0.52 8.08 ± 0.27 8.58 ± 0.62 7.98 ± 0.37 0.088 T1 = vitamins + antibitotics; T2 = 10ml snail slime + 30cl of water; T3 = 20ml snail slime + 30cl of water; T4 =30ml snail slime + 30cl of water DISCUSSION The study evaluated the influence of snail slime supplementation on the growth performance and morphometric traits of noiler chickens with different plumage colours. The results showed that snail slime administration had no statistically significant effect on weekly weight gain across treatments, although observable numerical differences occurred among the treatments and plumage types. These findings suggest that snail slime can be administered to poultry without adverse effects on growth performance. Similar findings have been reported in studies evaluating natural feed additives where alternative bioactive compounds maintained comparable growth performance to conventional antibiotic growth promoters without significant differences in body weight gain (Siddiqui & Alagawany, 2023 ; Hossain et al., 2024 ). The proximate composition of the snail slime revealed a very high moisture content (96.7%) with relatively low levels of crude protein (1.32%), carbohydrates (1.00%), crude fat (0.10%), and ash (0.88%). The high moisture content indicates that snail slime is primarily a fluid secretion rather than a dense nutrient source. Previous studies have also reported that snail mucus contains a large proportion of water (Danladi et al., 2020 ) along with glycoproteins, enzymes, peptides, and antimicrobial compounds responsible for its biological activity (Cilia and Fratini, 2018 ). Consequently, the limited macronutrient content observed in the present study may explain why snail slime supplementation did not significantly improve body weight gain of the birds. Despite the relatively low nutrient concentration, the presence of crude protein and carbohydrate fractions in the slime suggests the presence of biologically active peptides and glycoproteins. These compounds have been reported to possess antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties that may enhance gut health and physiological stability in animals (Agada et al., 2023 ; Tufail et al., 2025 ). Improved gut health has been shown to promote nutrient absorption efficiency and reduce pathogenic microbial load in poultry production systems. Natural additives containing such bioactive compounds are increasingly investigated as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters because they can improve health status and disease resistance without contributing to antimicrobial resistance (Siddiqui and Alagawany, 2023 ). Table 2 showed the mineral composition of the snail slime which further highlights its potential functional value. Although these minerals were present in relatively small amounts, they play essential roles in various metabolic and physiological processes in poultry. Calcium and phosphorus are critical for bone mineralization and skeletal development in poultry, while potassium and magnesium are important for maintaining electrolyte balance, enzyme activation, and neuromuscular function (Commercial Poultry Nutrition, 2023). Research on snail tissues has also shown that snails naturally contain important minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc that contribute to biological functions and immune regulation in animals and humans. (Mariadoss, 2025). Trace minerals such as iron and zinc identified in the snail slime also contribute significantly to physiological processes including oxygen transport, immune system function, and enzyme activity. Studies have shown that zinc and iron are particularly important for maintaining immune competence and metabolic regulation in poultry (Hossain et al., 2024 ). However, the concentrations of these minerals in the slime were relatively low compared with typical dietary mineral requirements for poultry, which may explain why morphometric traits such as back length, wing length, breast width, and shank length were not significantly affected by the treatments. From Table 3 , birds in the control group (T1) that received vitamins and antibiotics generally recorded higher numerical weight gain compared with those receiving snail slime treatments (T2–T4) across most weeks, particularly among the black plumage birds, although, the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). This suggests that although conventional antibiotic-vitamin supplementation may slightly enhance early growth performance, snail slime supplementation did not negatively affect growth of the birds. This observation agrees with previous reports that alternative natural products used as feed additives may support growth without producing significant differences compared with conventional growth promoters (Windisch et al., 2008 ; Toghyani et al., 2015 ). Across the weeks, black plumage birds tended to show slightly higher weight gains than brown plumage birds. This trend could be attributed to genetic or physiological differences associated with plumage phenotype. Plumage colour has been reported to sometimes correlate with genetic variations influencing growth and productivity traits in poultry (FAO, 2012; Yakubu and Ari, 2018 ). However, the non-significant p-values recorded in this study indicate that plumage colour did not exert a strong influence on weight gain when birds were subjected to similar management conditions. Interestingly, survival rates were high across all treatments, with snail slime treatments (T2, T3, and T4) recording 96% survival compared with 92% in the control group. This may suggest a possible health-supporting property of snail slime. Snail slime is known to contain bioactive compounds such as glycoproteins, antimicrobial peptides and antioxidants that may contribute to improved immunity and disease resistance in animals (Trapella et al., 2018 ; Bortolotti et al., 2016 ). The relatively high survival rate observed in the snail slime groups could therefore indicate a protective or supportive physiological effect. The morphometric traits presented in Table 4 also showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) among treatments for both plumage groups. Parameters such as back length, wing length, breast width, breast length, beak length and shank length remained relatively similar across all treatments. These findings indicate that snail slime supplementation did not adversely affect skeletal growth or body conformation of the birds. The absence of significant differences in morphometric measurements suggests that the nutritional or bioactive components of snail slime neither enhanced nor impaired structural development of the birds. Morphometric traits are largely influenced by genetics, nutrition and environmental conditions (Yakubu et al., 2009 ). Since all birds in this experiment were managed under the same environmental and feeding conditions, the similarities observed across treatments were expected. This revealed that administering snail slime in the water did not lead to any statistically noticeable changes in weight gain across the different plumage variants. While plumage colour has been documented to affect growth and development in poultry (Olaniyi et al., 2023 ), the dosage and duration of administration of snail slime in this study may not have been sufficient to elicit significant effects on weight gain. Furthermore, it could be that snail slime exerted more pronounced effects on health parameters like immunity or digestion, rather than directly on growth at this instance. CONCLUSION The study concludes that supplementation of snail slime in drinking water did not significantly influence weekly weight gain or morphometric development of noiler chickens, irrespective of plumage phenotype, under the experimental conditions. Although body weight gains were numerically higher in the control group (vitamins + antibiotics), differences across treatments were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). This suggests that snail slime supplementation did not negatively affect growth performance compared to conventional growth promoters. Notably, birds receiving snail slime supplementation showed marginally higher survival rates (96%) than the control group (92%), indicating potential health-promoting effects. The proximate analysis revealed that snail slime is predominantly a high-moisture biological secretion with low macronutrient content, while mineral profiling confirmed the presence of essential trace elements such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. Although the nutrient concentrations were not sufficient to drive significant growth enhancement directly, the presence of bioactive proteins, glycoproteins, and micronutrients may contribute to intestinal health and immune function, which could support survivability and overall well-being. Declarations Competing interest: No conflicting interest in the process of the study. Data availability The data is available on request. Funding: No funding was received from any individual, funding organization or corporate body for the study. References Agada DE, Sar TT, Ujoh JA, Ameh LO, (2023) Antibacterial susceptibility of selected pathogenic bacteria to snail slime. African Health Sciences, 23(4), 177–182. ttps://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v23i4.20 Alagawany M, Farag MR, Dhama K, Patra A, (2017) Nutritional significance and health benefits of natural feed additives in poultry. International Journal of Pharmacology, 13(8), 112–121. AOAC (1990) Offical Methods of Analysis. 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Poultry Science Journal, 3, 45–51. Trapella C, Rizzo R, Gallo S, Alogna A, Bortolotti D, Casciano F, Zauli G, Secchiero P, (2018) HelixComplex snail mucus exhibits pro-survival, proliferative and pro-migration effects on mammalian fibroblasts. Scientific Reports, 8, 17665. ttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35816-3 Tufail T, Bader U, Ain H, Ashraf J, Mahmood S, Noreen S, Ijaz A, Ikram A, Arshad MT, Abdullahi MA, (2025) Bioactive Compounds in Seafood: Implications for Health and Nutrition. Food Sci Nutr. 13(4):e70181. doi: 1 0.1002/fsn3.70181. PMID: 40260061; PMCID: PMC12009756. Windisch W, Schedle K, Plitzner C, Kroismayr A, (2008) Use of phytogenic products as feed additives for swine and poultry. Journal of Animal Science, 86(E-Suppl.), E140–E148. Yakubu A, Ari MM, (2018) Relationships between body weight and linear body measurements in indigenous chickens using path analysis. Journal of Applied Animal Research, 46(1), 378–384. ttps://doi.org/10.1080/09712119.2017.1284074 Yakubu A, Salako AE, Imumorin IG, (2009) Comparative study of body weight and linear body measurements in Nigerian indigenous chickens. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 41, 1011–1017. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9075577","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":608028145,"identity":"02c303bc-f502-4924-b3ec-34c8e6d3edf0","order_by":0,"name":"Olugbenga Samson Abe","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA/UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCSB+wMCQAOZ8AGI2dmK0JEC1MM4AaWEmRQszD5gkoIN/dvPBB4lttXn80u0XP9v82ibPx8zA+OFjDh5L7hxLNkhsO14sOedMsXRu323DNmYGZsmZ2/BYcyPHTCKx7Vjihhs5CdK5PbcZgVrYmHnxaJG/kf8NrGX/jZzk35Y9t+0JajG4kcMG1FKTuEEi/Zg0w4/biQS1GN45ZmyQcO5AsQRQr2Vvw+3kNmbGZrx+kbvd/PDBh7K6PP4Z6Y9v/Phz23Z+e/PBDx/xeR8CDgMxjwEDYxuIw9hAUD0Q1AEx+wMGhj/EKB4Fo2AUjIKRBgALfFevAa295wAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1964-6242","institution":"Adekunle Ajasin University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Olugbenga","middleName":"Samson","lastName":"Abe","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-09 16:54:18","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9075577/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9075577/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":105566659,"identity":"5943de11-10b4-4061-93c0-413c51acec37","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-27 12:56:56","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":603067,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9075577/v1/cbf67db9-c61f-462a-8ce4-03724893862d.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eGrowth and Morphometric Response of Black and White Noiler Chickens to Snail Slime Supplementation\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[{"header":"INTRODUCTION","content":"\u003cp\u003ePoultry production is a key element animal industry, guaranteeing food security and providing affordable sources of high-quality animal protein in many developing countries. Chicken products are consumed in large quantity due to their relatively low cost, high nutritional value, and short production cycle compared with other livestock species. In poultry production, nutrition and genetics play a major role in the overall performance of the animal. One of the genetic variations in poultry is the plumage colour, though it is only a visible phenotypic characteristic, it may also be associated with genetic differences affecting growth, adaptability, and production traits (FAO, 2012). Studies have shown that variations in plumage colour may be linked to differences in body weight, growth rate, and morphological characteristics among poultry populations (Yakubu et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). Morphometric characteristics such as back length, wing length, breast width, breast length, beak length, and shank length are important indicators of body conformation and structural development in poultry. These measurements are often used to assess growth patterns, predict body weight, and evaluate the overall physical development of birds (Yakubu and Ari, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). Understanding how dietary or environmental factors influence these traits can help improve management and breeding practices in poultry production.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn Nigeria and many parts of Africa, poultry production has expanded significantly in recent years as a result of increasing demand for animal protein and the need to improve household income and nutrition (FAO, 2019). However, its expansion is limited and sometimes hindered by factors such as disease outbreaks, high cost of feed, poor management practices, and dependence on synthetic growth promoters and antibiotics. The use of medications like antibiotics and other synthetic growth promoters in poultry production has been a common practice for a long time, to improve growth rate, feed efficiency, and control disease. However, the continuous use of these substances has raised serious concerns regarding antibiotic resistance, drug residues in animal products, and potential risks to human health (Windisch et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e; Alagawany et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). In view of this public health concerns, many countries have restricted or banned the routine use of antibiotic growth promoters in animal production. Thus, there is growing interest in exploring natural alternatives such as plant extracts, probiotics, enzymes, and other bioactive substances that can boost productivity while keeping food safety and animal welfare.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOne promising natural substance that has drawn scientific attention in recent years is snail slime (mucus). Snail slime is a biological secretion produced by terrestrial snails. Among the terrestrial snail common in Nigeria is the African giant snail (A. marginata), which is a land, nocturnal, invertebrate animal of the phylum mollusca (Olagbende-dada, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). They are mostly found in the forest, farms and gardens where they have unlimited vegetation to feed on. They can be seen commonly through raining season when rain fall is abundant (Robert, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). The snail is covered with a shell which protects the soft moist flesh and is known to produce a lot of slime which helps to keep the skin moist. Humans have used snails for food for many generations and nowadays snails are common food consumed by millions of people worldwide (Cagiltay et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). Snails naturally produce mucus from their salivary glands, epidermal cells of the foot, mantle, and pedal glands (Mariadoss, 2025). Snail mucus is composed of 90\u0026ndash;99.7% water, and the remaining 0.3\u0026ndash;10% of snail mucus is composed of other active ingredients and diverse bioactive compounds, including glycoproteins, proteoglycans, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, enzymes, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and other compounds (Rashad et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). High levels of collagen, glycolic acid, allantoin, elastin, vitamins (A, B \u0026amp; E), and several minerals, including copper, nickel, and chromium, are present in snail mucus (Mariadoss, 2025). The bioactive compounds present in snail mucus are responsible for its diverse pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-acne, anti-aging, wound-healing, and anti-cancer properties (Rashad et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Trapella et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). Reported studies also suggest that the natural adhesive property of snail mucus exhibits superior wound-healing activity through mechanisms involving cell migration, proliferation, and angiogenesis in diabetic wounds. Although snail slime has been extensively studied for its medical and dermatological applications, its potential use as a natural additive in livestock and poultry production is still relatively unexplored.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDespite the increasing interest in natural additives in poultry nutrition, there is limited information on the effects of snail slime supplementation on the growth performance and morphometric characteristics of noiler chickens. Furthermore, the interaction between snail slime supplementation and plumage colour phenotypes has not been widely investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of snail slime supplementation in drinking water on the weekly weight gain and morphometric traits of noiler chickens with different plumage colours (black and brown). The findings from this study are expected to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on the use of natural bioactive substances as potential alternatives to conventional growth promoters in poultry production.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"MATERIALS AND METHODS","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eCollection of slime\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe slime used for the study was gotten from African giant snail (\u003cem\u003eA. marginata\u003c/em\u003e). This breed of snail is chosen because it is known for producing high-quality slime. The snails were wash thoroughly with water to remove dirt, mud, and contaminants from their shells and bodies before beginning the extraction process. Water stimulation method was used to collect the slime. The snail was immersed in mild saline solution of 0.9% salt concentration for a period of 2 minutes. After immersion, they were removed and place on a slanted surface to allow for more release of slime to drip down into a collection container. After collection, the slime was filtered to remove any dirt, particles, or snail excrement. This is done using fine mesh filters or sieves. The slime was carefully stored in a bottle and kept under room temperature for the experiment to commence.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eProximate and mineral analysis\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe slime was subjected to proximate analysis to determine the ash, crude protein, crude fat, moisture and carbohydrate using the standard AOAC methods (1990). The analysis was carried out as described by Danladi et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). The estimates were expressed in percentage of the sample weight.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProximate analysis of the snail slime.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"2\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eParameters\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePercentage\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoisture\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e96.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAsh\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.88\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCrude fat\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCrude Protein\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.32\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCarbohydrate\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe mineral elements comprising calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium and trace elements (iron and zinc) were determined using the method described by Danladi et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMineral composition of the snail slime.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"2\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eParameters\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003emg/100g\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCalcium\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhosphorus\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.88\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSodium\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.01\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePotassium\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003emagnesium\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIron\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eZinc\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.55\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCopper\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.01\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eManganese\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelenium\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.01\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eExperimental animals and management\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA total of 192 day old noiler chicks, consisting of 96 black plumage and 96 brown plumage were procure from a reputable farm with known plumage colour pedigree. On arrival, the chicks were randomly allotted to four treatments of 48 chicks (24 black plumage and 24 brown plumage) per treatment and 16 chicks (8 black and 8 brown) per replicate at 3 replicates per treatment. Necessary brooding management were carried out for two weeks. The experiment lasted for 28 days. The chicks were fed ad libitum with commercial starter crumble feed for 21 days and commercial grower crumble feed for the last 7 days.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe chicks were given snail slime water solution from day one. The snail slime was added in water at the rate of 10ml in 30cl of water for treatment 2 (T2), 20ml in 30cl of water for treatment 3 (T3) and 30ml in 30cl of water for treatment 4 (T4) while the water in treatment 1 (T1), the control, was added vitamins and antibitotics. This water treatment for all the chicks was carried out for 3 days from day 1 and day 21 of the experiment. The experiment lasted for 28days\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eData collection\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData on body weight were measured on weekly basis according to the plumage colour with the aid of sensitive scale of 0.05 sensitivity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe following parameters were measured;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInitial weight (IW): This was measured at the beginning of the experiment and at the beginning of every week in other to estimate the weekly weight gain.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinal weight (FW): This was measured at the end of every week using a sensitive scale in other to estimate the weekly gain of the animal.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eData on morphometric body traits were measured at two weeks interval with the aid of measuring tape.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe following morphometric data were taken;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eBack length (cm); This was measured as the distance from the base of the beak to the base of the tail.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eWing length (cm): This was determined by measuring from the beginning of the wing joint to the tip of the wing.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeak length (cm): This was measured from the end of the nasal cavity to the tip of the beak.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eBreast width (cm): This was determined by measuring the circumference of the fleshiest (tip of the breast) part of the breast.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eBreast length (cm): This was measured from the cardiac to the basal region.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eShank length (cm): This was measured from kneel joint to the middle of the feet.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eStatistical analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe data collected were analysed using a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) option of general linear model of SPSS 2015 version 23. Means between treatments were separated for significance using the Duncan multiple range test (DMRT) of the same package at probability level of 0.05. The general linear model is:\u003cdiv id=\"Equa\" class=\"Equation\"\u003e\u003cdiv format=\"TEX\" class=\"mathdisplay\" id=\"FileID_Equa\" name=\"EquationSource\"\u003e\n$${Y}_{ijk}=\\mu+{T}_{i}+{P}_{j}+(TP{)}_{ij}+{\\epsilon}_{ijk}$$\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhere:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\({Y}_{ijk}\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e= observed response (weight gain or morphometric trait)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\mu\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e= overall mean\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\({T}_{i}\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e= effect of treatment (i\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;T1, T2, T3, T4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\({P}_{j}\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e= effect of plumage type (j\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Black, Brown)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\left(TP{)}_{ij}\\right.\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e= interaction effect between treatment and plumage\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\({e}_{ijk}\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e= random error term\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"RESULTS","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eProximate Composition of Snail Slime\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe proximate composition of snail slime is presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e. The slime exhibited a very high moisture content (96.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.10%), reflecting its primary nature as a biological secretion. The levels of macronutrients were low, with crude protein at 1.32\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.02%, carbohydrate 1.00\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.03%, ash 0.88\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.02%, and crude fat 0.10\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.02%. These results indicate that snail slime is not a significant source of macronutrients but is likely composed of water-soluble biologically active compounds (e.g., glycoproteins and peptides).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMineral Composition of Snail Slime\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMineral analysis of the snail slime is shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e. Phosphorus (7.88\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.09 mg/100 g) and calcium (6.22\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.21 mg/100 g) were the predominant minerals, followed by potassium (3.00\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.22 mg/100 g) and magnesium (2.22\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.11 mg/100 g). Trace elements such as zinc (0.55\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.02 mg/100 g), iron (0.44\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.07 mg/100 g), manganese (0.05\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.02 mg/100 g), copper (0.01\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.00 mg/100 g), selenium (0.01\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.02 mg/100 g) and sodium (0.01\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.01 mg/100 g) were present in lower concentrations. The presence of these minerals suggests that snail slime contains essential elements that may support physiological processes when supplemented.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eWeekly Weight Gain\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe effects of snail slime treatments and plumage types on weekly weight gain of noiler chickens are summarized in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e. Across all ages (7, 14, 21, and 28 days), no significant differences were observed in weekly weight gain among the treatment groups (T1\u0026ndash;T4) for both black and brown plumage birds (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). At day 7, black plumage birds in the control group (T1) exhibited the highest mean weight gain; however, differences among treatments were not statistically significant (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.123). Similar patterns were observed at subsequent sampling points (days 14, 21 and 28), with p-values all exceeding 0.05 in both plumage groups. Overall, weight gain increased with age in all treatment groups, but supplementation with varying levels of snail slime did not result in significant performance advantages over the control.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBird survival was high across all treatments, with 96% survival in T2, T3 and T4 (snail slime treatments) compared with 92% in the control, indicating that inclusion of snail slime did not negatively affect survivability.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMeans and standard error of effect of snail slime and plumage on weekly weight gain of noiler chickens\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDay\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePlumage\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTreatments\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ep-value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlack\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e110.42\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;16.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e90.30\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.23\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e97.50\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7.78\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e95.94\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;13.77\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.123\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBrown\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e96.93\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;11.21\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e88.54\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;12.68\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e87.65\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.45\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e79.34\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;14.78\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.421\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlack\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e285.42\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;57.86\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e220.70\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;14.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e226.33\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;25.35\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e225.50\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;20.51\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.222\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBrown\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e247.92\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;13.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e204.66\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;36.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e210.18\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.02\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e183.39\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.49\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.524\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlack\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e509.87\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;133.59\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e413.50\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;58.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e395.63\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;54.62\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e406.75\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;15.91\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.812\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBrown\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e407.12\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;8.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e377.00\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;35.36\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e448.09\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;65.64\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e318.81\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.23\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.254\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlack\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e692.17\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;168.52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e595.85\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;142.34\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e545.35\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;70.92\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e582.46\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;25.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.089\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBrown\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e562.23\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;10.39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e535.40\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.56\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e532.88\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;30.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e440.90\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;14.28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.521\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSurvival\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e92%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e96%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e96%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e96%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"7\"\u003e\u003csup\u003eT1 = vitamins + antibitotics; T2 = 10ml snail slime + 30cl of water; T3 = 20ml snail slime + 30cl of water; T4 =30ml snail slime + 30cl of water\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eMorphometric Traits of Noiler Chickens\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe morphometric measurements at the end of the experimental period are presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e. There were no significant effects of snail slime supplementation on linear body measurements (back length, wing length, breast width, breast length, beak length, and shank length) in either plumage group (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). While numerical variations existed among treatments, none of these reached statistical significance. For example, back length values varied within a narrow range across treatments in both black and brown plumage birds, and the absence of significant differences suggests that snail slime did not influence skeletal development or conformation under the conditions of this study.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMeans and standard error of morphometric traits of noiler chickens\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eParameters\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePlumage\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTreatments\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ep-value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBack length\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlack\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.83\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.00\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.87\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.00\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.78\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.112\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBrown\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.75\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.05\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.71\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.00\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.92\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.68\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.254\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWing length\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlack\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.15\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.33\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.57\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.36\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.58\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.26\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.562\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBrown\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.75\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.95\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.67\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.73\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.08\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.86\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.50\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.566\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBreast width\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlack\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22.83\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21.25\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.91\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22.50\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21.67\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.684\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBrown\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23.67\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.34\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.92\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.69\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22.25\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.92\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.998\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBreast length\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlack\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.08\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.58\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.61\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.15\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.75\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.265\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBrown\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.25\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.77\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.58\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.00\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.08\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.94\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.875\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeak length\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlack\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.17\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.23 \u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;.016\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.45\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.23\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.33\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.542\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBrown\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.57\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.13\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.33\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.40\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.678\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eShank length\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlack\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.48\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.61\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.75\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.86\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.02\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.31\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.43\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.222\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBrown\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.02\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.08\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.58\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.62\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.98\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.37\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.088\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"7\"\u003e\u003csup\u003eT1 = vitamins + antibitotics; T2 = 10ml snail slime + 30cl of water; T3 = 20ml snail slime + 30cl of water; T4 =30ml snail slime + 30cl of water\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"DISCUSSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe study evaluated the influence of snail slime supplementation on the growth performance and morphometric traits of noiler chickens with different plumage colours. The results showed that snail slime administration had no statistically significant effect on weekly weight gain across treatments, although observable numerical differences occurred among the treatments and plumage types. These findings suggest that snail slime can be administered to poultry without adverse effects on growth performance. Similar findings have been reported in studies evaluating natural feed additives where alternative bioactive compounds maintained comparable growth performance to conventional antibiotic growth promoters without significant differences in body weight gain (Siddiqui \u0026amp; Alagawany, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Hossain et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe proximate composition of the snail slime revealed a very high moisture content (96.7%) with relatively low levels of crude protein (1.32%), carbohydrates (1.00%), crude fat (0.10%), and ash (0.88%). The high moisture content indicates that snail slime is primarily a fluid secretion rather than a dense nutrient source. Previous studies have also reported that snail mucus contains a large proportion of water (Danladi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) along with glycoproteins, enzymes, peptides, and antimicrobial compounds responsible for its biological activity (Cilia and Fratini, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). Consequently, the limited macronutrient content observed in the present study may explain why snail slime supplementation did not significantly improve body weight gain of the birds. Despite the relatively low nutrient concentration, the presence of crude protein and carbohydrate fractions in the slime suggests the presence of biologically active peptides and glycoproteins. These compounds have been reported to possess antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties that may enhance gut health and physiological stability in animals (Agada et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Tufail et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Improved gut health has been shown to promote nutrient absorption efficiency and reduce pathogenic microbial load in poultry production systems. Natural additives containing such bioactive compounds are increasingly investigated as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters because they can improve health status and disease resistance without contributing to antimicrobial resistance (Siddiqui and Alagawany, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e showed the mineral composition of the snail slime which further highlights its potential functional value. Although these minerals were present in relatively small amounts, they play essential roles in various metabolic and physiological processes in poultry. Calcium and phosphorus are critical for bone mineralization and skeletal development in poultry, while potassium and magnesium are important for maintaining electrolyte balance, enzyme activation, and neuromuscular function (Commercial Poultry Nutrition, 2023). Research on snail tissues has also shown that snails naturally contain important minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc that contribute to biological functions and immune regulation in animals and humans. (Mariadoss, 2025). Trace minerals such as iron and zinc identified in the snail slime also contribute significantly to physiological processes including oxygen transport, immune system function, and enzyme activity. Studies have shown that zinc and iron are particularly important for maintaining immune competence and metabolic regulation in poultry (Hossain et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). However, the concentrations of these minerals in the slime were relatively low compared with typical dietary mineral requirements for poultry, which may explain why morphometric traits such as back length, wing length, breast width, and shank length were not significantly affected by the treatments.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, birds in the control group (T1) that received vitamins and antibiotics generally recorded higher numerical weight gain compared with those receiving snail slime treatments (T2\u0026ndash;T4) across most weeks, particularly among the black plumage birds, although, the differences were not statistically significant (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). This suggests that although conventional antibiotic-vitamin supplementation may slightly enhance early growth performance, snail slime supplementation did not negatively affect growth of the birds. This observation agrees with previous reports that alternative natural products used as feed additives may support growth without producing significant differences compared with conventional growth promoters (Windisch et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e; Toghyani et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). Across the weeks, black plumage birds tended to show slightly higher weight gains than brown plumage birds. This trend could be attributed to genetic or physiological differences associated with plumage phenotype. Plumage colour has been reported to sometimes correlate with genetic variations influencing growth and productivity traits in poultry (FAO, 2012; Yakubu and Ari, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). However, the non-significant p-values recorded in this study indicate that plumage colour did not exert a strong influence on weight gain when birds were subjected to similar management conditions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInterestingly, survival rates were high across all treatments, with snail slime treatments (T2, T3, and T4) recording 96% survival compared with 92% in the control group. This may suggest a possible health-supporting property of snail slime. Snail slime is known to contain bioactive compounds such as glycoproteins, antimicrobial peptides and antioxidants that may contribute to improved immunity and disease resistance in animals (Trapella et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e; Bortolotti et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). The relatively high survival rate observed in the snail slime groups could therefore indicate a protective or supportive physiological effect.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe morphometric traits presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e also showed no significant differences (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05) among treatments for both plumage groups. Parameters such as back length, wing length, breast width, breast length, beak length and shank length remained relatively similar across all treatments. These findings indicate that snail slime supplementation did not adversely affect skeletal growth or body conformation of the birds. The absence of significant differences in morphometric measurements suggests that the nutritional or bioactive components of snail slime neither enhanced nor impaired structural development of the birds. Morphometric traits are largely influenced by genetics, nutrition and environmental conditions (Yakubu et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). Since all birds in this experiment were managed under the same environmental and feeding conditions, the similarities observed across treatments were expected. This revealed that administering snail slime in the water did not lead to any statistically noticeable changes in weight gain across the different plumage variants. While plumage colour has been documented to affect growth and development in poultry (Olaniyi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), the dosage and duration of administration of snail slime in this study may not have been sufficient to elicit significant effects on weight gain. Furthermore, it could be that snail slime exerted more pronounced effects on health parameters like immunity or digestion, rather than directly on growth at this instance.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"CONCLUSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe study concludes that supplementation of snail slime in drinking water did not significantly influence weekly weight gain or morphometric development of noiler chickens, irrespective of plumage phenotype, under the experimental conditions. Although body weight gains were numerically higher in the control group (vitamins\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;antibiotics), differences across treatments were not statistically significant (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). This suggests that snail slime supplementation did not negatively affect growth performance compared to conventional growth promoters.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotably, birds receiving snail slime supplementation showed marginally higher survival rates (96%) than the control group (92%), indicating potential health-promoting effects. The proximate analysis revealed that snail slime is predominantly a high-moisture biological secretion with low macronutrient content, while mineral profiling confirmed the presence of essential trace elements such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. Although the nutrient concentrations were not sufficient to drive significant growth enhancement directly, the presence of bioactive proteins, glycoproteins, and micronutrients may contribute to intestinal health and immune function, which could support survivability and overall well-being.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003ch2\u003eCompeting interest:\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo conflicting interest in the process of the study.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eData availability\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe data is available on request.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFunding:\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo funding was received from any individual, funding organization or corporate body for the study.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAgada DE, Sar TT, Ujoh JA, Ameh LO, (2023) Antibacterial susceptibility of selected pathogenic bacteria to snail slime. 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World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 9(11), 2304\u0026ndash;2512\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). (2012). Phenotypic characterization of animal genetic resources. FAO Animal Production and Health Guidelines No. 11. Rome, Italy.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). (2019). Poultry sector Nigeria: FAO animal production and health livestock country reviews. Rome, Italy.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHossain ME, Kim GM, Lee SK, Yang CJ, (2024) Effects of herbal extract supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and immune response of broiler chickens. 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Poultry Science Journal, 3, 45\u0026ndash;51.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTrapella C, Rizzo R, Gallo S, Alogna A, Bortolotti D, Casciano F, Zauli G, Secchiero P, (2018) HelixComplex snail mucus exhibits pro-survival, proliferative and pro-migration effects on mammalian fibroblasts. Scientific Reports, 8, 17665. ttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35816-3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTufail T, Bader U, Ain H, Ashraf J, Mahmood S, Noreen S, Ijaz A, Ikram A, Arshad MT, Abdullahi MA, (2025) Bioactive Compounds in Seafood: Implications for Health and Nutrition. Food Sci Nutr. 13(4):e70181. doi: \u003cdiv class=\"ExternalRefDOI\"\u003e1\u003c/div\u003e0.1002/fsn3.70181. PMID: 40260061; PMCID: PMC12009756.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWindisch W, Schedle K, Plitzner C, Kroismayr A, (2008) Use of phytogenic products as feed additives for swine and poultry. Journal of Animal Science, 86(E-Suppl.), E140\u0026ndash;E148.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYakubu A, Ari MM, (2018) Relationships between body weight and linear body measurements in indigenous chickens using path analysis. Journal of Applied Animal Research, 46(1), 378\u0026ndash;384. ttps://doi.org/10.1080/09712119.2017.1284074\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYakubu A, Salako AE, Imumorin IG, (2009) Comparative study of body weight and linear body measurements in Nigerian indigenous chickens. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 41, 1011\u0026ndash;1017.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Plumage colour, body conformation, proximate composition, mineral composition, poultry nutrition","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9075577/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9075577/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe study evaluated the effect of snail slime supplementation on growth performance and morphometric traits of noiler chickens with different plumage colours. A total of 192 noiler chickens comprising 96 black and 96 brown plumage types were used for the experiment and were randomly assigned to four treatments. Each treatment has three replicates with 8 birds each. Treatment 1 (T1) served as the control and received vitamins and antibiotics in drinking water, while T2, T3 and T4 received 10 ml, 20 ml and 30 ml of snail slime respectively diluted in 30 cl of water. Weekly body weight gain was measured for four weeks, and morphometric traits including back length, wing length, breast width, breast length, beak length and shank length were also recorded. Data obtained were analysed using the two-way analysis of variance. The results showed no significant differences (p \u0026gt; 0.05) among treatments in weekly weight gain across both plumage types. However, black plumage birds generally recorded higher numerical weight gains than brown plumage birds. Survival rate was slightly higher in snail slime treatments (96%) compared with the control group (92%). Similarly, morphometric traits did not differ significantly (p \u0026gt; 0.05) among treatments for both plumage types. The study concluded that snail slime supplementation in drinking water did not negatively affect growth performance or body conformation of noiler chickens but could serve as a potential natural additive in poultry production which will subsequently reduce cost on medication and alleviate public health concerns on drug residuals.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Growth and Morphometric Response of Black and White Noiler Chickens to Snail Slime Supplementation","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-03-20 11:14:14","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9075577/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"987566a7-271d-4d5e-a1a5-a02e37d739f4","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 20th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-26T17:31:13+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-03-20 11:14:14","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9075577","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9075577","identity":"rs-9075577","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}