Comparison of early growth and survivability in indigenous guinea fowls from Northern Ghana.

Three guinea fowl populations from Northern Ghana were compared in terms of their body weight, growth rates, and survivability during the first 11 weeks of life. Keets (n = 865) were hatched from eggs collected from 32 sampling areas divided into eleven subpopulations within three populations in Northern Ghana. Together with an experimental flock maintained at Animal Research Institute (ARI flock), these birds were raised and appraised for weekly body weights, weekly growth rates, and survivability. Weekly body weights did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) among the three populations, although ARI flock were significantly heavier (p Ë‚ 0.05) compared to the main populations until the fourth week. In contrast, among the subpopulations, significant differences emerged in body weights from the second week and were more pronounced from the sixth week. Growth rates measured as weekly weight gains also differed significantly among subpopulations beyond the second week, although differences in growth rates were not significantly different among whole populations. The mean values for total feed intake, daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) did not vary significantly (p > 0.05) between the populations. Therefore, although the variations in body weight and growth rates were limited among the populations, there existed significant variations among subpopulations, creating opportunities to establish genetically divergent populations for growth rate and to improve early growth rates and body weights in local guinea fowls by selection. High survivability observed in the ARI flock compared to keets from the three populations of Northern Ghana was likely due to good breeder stock management practices despite their common ancestry.

The effect of male proximity on vaginal patency, estrous cycle length and feed intake of female grasscutters.

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of male proximity on vaginal patency, estrous cycle length and feed intake of nulliparous and pluriparous grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus) does. Twelve non-pregnant and non-lactating adult female (six nulliparous and six pluriparous) grasscutters and six proven male grasscutters were used for the study in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The factors were the type of contact between the sexes (no visual contact v. visual contact) and parity (nulliparous v. pluriparous). The condition of the vaginal membrane, which was monitored daily, was used as an indicator of the reproductive status of the experimental females. The findings of the study showed significant effect (P < 0.001) of male presence on feed intake. Visual contact between breeding pairs significantly (P < 0.05) increased the rate of vaginal opening (11 ± 3.3 % v. 22 ± 3.3 %) and significantly (P < 0.001) reduced the length of estrous cycling in the grasscutters (58 ± 5 days v. 20 ± 5 days). However, the duration of vaginal patency was not (P > 0.05) affected by the contact type. Parity had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on the duration of vaginal patency with pluriparous does recording longer duration compared to nulliparous does (76 ± 12 h v. 38 ± 12 h), but not on feed intake (P > 0.05). The study has revealed that housing breeding grasscutters such that females have visual contact with males could increase rate of vaginal patency and reduce the length of the estrous cycle in both pluriparous and nulliparous grasscutter does. This practice however compromises feed intake of the females.