Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Minilivestock: from gathering to controlled production

  • Papers
  • Published:
Biodiversity & Conservation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Many small animals, vertebrates and invertebrates, homoiotherms (endotherms) and poikilotherms (ectotherms), are used by man since he gathers, hunts or collects them in the wild. When bred under controlled conditions in captivity, these animals are called ‘minilivestock’. a term also used for those small species that are little known in animal production. To qualify as minilivestock, animals must have a potential benefit either nutritionally for food or economically for animal-feed or revenue, and currently not being utilized to their full potential. Rodents are eaten in Africa and Latin America. The guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) is considered a particularly efficient meat source. Giant African snails (Achatina spp) are highly prized as food in West and Central Africa and Asia, and are produced commercially. Annelids living in litter and manure convert vegetable refuse to animal protein which can be used as feed for pigs and poultry. There is a continuous demand for frogs' legs on the international market and also for many species of insect, alive or mounted. The development of minilivestock will contribute to meeting human needs and will also protect the environment from excessive harvesting.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ajayi, S.S., Tewe, O.O., Moriarty, C. and Awesu, M.O. (1978) Observations on the biology and nutritive value of the African giant snail Archachatina marginata. East Afr. Wildlife J. 16, 85–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Akinboade, O.A., Adegoke, G.O., Ogunji, F.O. and Dipeolu, O.O. (1980) Bacterial isolates from giant snails in Nigeria, Vet. Record 106, 482.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alicata, J.E. (1988) Angiostrongylus cantonesis and eosinophilic meningitis. Lancet ii, 1367–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouché, M.B. (1972) Lombriciens de France; Écologie et systématique. Ann. Zool. Ecol. Anim. INRA France; numero hors serie.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouché, M.B. (1972) Stratégies lombriciennes (in soil organisms as components of ecosystems). Ecol. Bull. 25, 122–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, P. (1993) Organization and economics of insect farming Proc. Seminar Invertebrates (Minilivestock) Farming, EEC/CTA/IFS/DMMMSU/ITM, the Philippines, pp. 25–32.

  • Cooper, J.E. (1985) Medico-veterinary collaboration. Tropical Doctor 15, 187–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, J.E. (1995) The role of birds in sustainable food production. Biodiv. Conserv. 4, 266–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, J.E. and Knowler, C. (1991) Snails and snail farming: an introduction for the veterinary profession. Vet. Record 129, 541–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, J.E. and Mews, A.R. (1987) Health hazards from giant snails. Vet. Record 120, 506.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, A.A., Longton, T.E.S., Bennet, P.M., Drury, S.E.N., Gough, R.E. and Kirkwood, J.K. (1993) Unusual mortality associated with poxvirus-like particles in frogs (Rana temporaria). Vet. Record 133, 141–2.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeFoliart, G.R. (1989) The human use of insects as food and as animal feed. Bull. Entomol. Soc. Amer. Spring, 22–35.

  • DeFoliart, G.R. (1995) Edible insects as minilivestock. Biodiv. Conserv. 4, 306–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, C.A. (1983) Earthworms, organic waste and food. Span 26, 106–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farina, L., Demey, F. and Hardouin, J. (1991) Production de termites pour l'aviculture villageoise au Togo. Tropicultura 9, 181–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Food and Agriculture Organization (1986) Farming Snails I. Rome: FAO Economic and Social Development Series.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardouin, J. (1986) Mini-élevage et sources méconnues de protéines animales. Ann. Gx 92, 153–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardouin, J. (1993) Termites and maggots use as feed: preliminary information. Proc. Seminar Invertebrates (Minilivestock) Farming. EEC/CTA/IFS/DMMMSU/ITM, The Philippines, p. 163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardouin, J. (1994). Commerce international des cuisses de grenouilles dans la CEE de 1988 a 1992. (Submitted). Bull. Rech. Agron. Gembloux 29 (2), 217–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Imevbore, E.A. (1990). Carcass evaluation and nutritive value of some popular edible molluscs in Nigeria. Die Nahrung 6, 549–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jori, F., Mensah, G.A. and Adjanohoun, E. (1995) Grasscutter production: an example of rational exploitation of wildlife. Biodiv. Conserv. 4, 257–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kock, R.E. (1994) Wildlife utilization: use it or lose it—a Kenyan perspective. Biodiv. Conserv. 4. 241–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKinell, R.S. (1969) Lucke renal aderocarcinoma: epidemiological aspects. In Tumors of Amphibians (M., Mizell, ed.) pp. 254–60. Berlin: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mercer, C.W.L. (1993a) A butterfly ranching trial in Papua New Guinea. Proc. Seminar Invertebrates (Minilivestock) Farming. EEC/CTA/IFS/DMMMSU/ITM. the Philippines. pp. 33–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mercer, C.W.L. (1993b) Insects as food in Papua New Guinea. Proc. Seminar Invertebrates (Minilivestock) Farming. EEC/CTA/IFS/DMMMSU/ITM, the Philippines. pp. 157–162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Negroni, G. and Farina, L. (1993) L'élevage de grenouilles. Cahiers Agriculture 2. 48–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paley, L. and Mead, A.R. (1993). Les deux redoutables escargots geants africains a la Martinique. Phytoma 44, 48–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pang-Chui, Shaw and Kai-Keung, Mark (1980) Chironomid farming—a means of recycling farm manures and potentially reducing water pollution in Hong Kong. Aquaculture 21, 155–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pedersen, J.C. and Hendriksen, N.B., (1993) Effect of passage through the intestinal tract of detritivore earthworms Lumbricus spp. on the number of selected Gram negative and total bacterial. Biol. Fertil. Soils 16, 227–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raut, S.K. (1993) Known parasites of giant African snails and their transmission to poultry or to pigs. BEDIM 2.

  • Reichenbach-Klinke, H. and Elkan, E. (1965) The Principal Diseases of Lower Vertebrates. London, New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reinecke, A.J. and Viljoen, S.A. (1988) Reproduction of the African earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae (Oligochaeta) cocoons. Biol. Fertil. Soils 7, 23–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sims, R.W. and Gerard, B.M. (1985) Earthworm Synops. Brit. Fauna 31, 1–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spiridonov, S. (1993) Parasites of earthworms as possible threat to vermiculture. BEDIM 2 (2), 11–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stiévenart, C. (1992) Biology of some Achatinidae known as edible snails. Proc. Seminar Invertebrates (Minilivestock) Farming, EEC/CTA/IFS/DMMMSU/ITM the Philippines, pp. 145–54.

  • Vietmeyer, N.D. (1983) Butterfly farming in Papua New Guinea, Managing Tropical Animal Resources Series. National Research Council, Washington DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vietmeyer, N. (1984) Du betail pour les sans-terre. Ceres 98, 17, 43–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vietmeyer, N. (1991) Microlivestock: little-known small animals with a promising economic future. National Research Council, Washington DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vorsters, A. (1992) Biology and production of manure worms. Proc. Seminar Invertebrates (Minilivestock) Farming, EEC/CTA/IFS/DMMMSU/ITM, the Philippines, pp 53–7

  • Vorsters, A., Adjovi, A. and Demey, F. (1992) Production of earthworms as a source of protein for chicken feed. The use of Eudrilus eugeniae and Eisenia fetida in tropical conditions. Newsletter of Africa Network for Rural Poultry Development.

  • Watkins, V. (1986) An Investigation into the Frogs' Legs Trade. Report Series L861001. London: World Society for the Protection of Animals.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, D.L. (1991) Amphibians. In Manual of Exotic Pets. P.H., Beynon and J.E., Cooper eds. Cheltenham: British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zachman, J.E. and Molina, J.A.E. (1993) Presence of culturable bacteria in cocoons of the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 59, 1904–10.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tropical Animal Production Unit, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 155, Nationalestraat, B-2000, Antwerpen 1, Belgium

    Jacques Hardouin

Authors
  1. Jacques Hardouin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hardouin, J. Minilivestock: from gathering to controlled production. Biodivers Conserv 4, 220–232 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00055969

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00055969

Keywords

Search

Navigation