Photoperiod manipulation corrects the negative effect of low dietary crude protein levels during weeks 12 to 26 on bone quality and fertility of male Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris).

Improving the reproductive performance of guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) based on the management of environmental factors is important for developing meleagriculture. Thus, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary crude protein levels and photoperiod during the 12th to 26th wk of age on growth performance, calcium and phosphorus mobilization, and fertility of local Pearl Gray male guinea fowl. In total, 120 twelve-week-old male guinea fowl were divided into 3 groups with 8 replicates each and 5 birds per replicate using a completely random design. The experimental groups included: a group fed a diet containing 15% crude protein and subjected to 16 h of light and 8 h of darkness (16LL), a group fed a diet containing 19% crude protein and subjected to 16 h of light and 8 h of darkness (16HL), and a group fed a diet containing 15% crude protein and subjected to 18 h of light and 6 h of darkness (18LL) during the 12th to 26th wk of age. The results showed that guinea fowl in the 16HL treatment had a significantly (P = 0.003) lower feed conversion ratio than those in the 16LL and 18LL groups. Calcium and phosphorus levels in the tibia and femur were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in guinea fowl of the 16HL and 18LL groups than in that of the 16LL group. Birds in the 16HL and 18LL treatments had significantly higher peripheral testosterone levels (P < 0.00001) than those in the 16LL treatment. The 16HL and 18LL treatments had significantly higher (P < 0.05) sperm volume, sperm concentration and motility, and fertility rate than the 16LL group. Therefore, a decrease in crude protein level from 19 to 15% in the diet of male guinea fowl between the 12th and 26th wk of age negatively affects the growth performance and fertility of these birds, but this is corrected by an increase in the photoperiod before sexual maturity.

Phenotypic and morphometric characterization of domestic geese raised in northern Benin.

Documentation on the domestic geese (Anser anser) in Benin is scarce, making it objectively difficult to exploit. Its production depends on small flocks raised by livestock farmers in different areas. The aim of the study was to describe the phenotypic and morphometric characteristics of geese encountered in northern Benin. To this end, a total of 576 adult geese (353 males and 223 females) from 102 farms in 4 agro-ecological zones of northern Benin were evaluated for 11 quantitative and 5 qualitative body traits. There are 6 plumage colors with white (42.01%), white-brown magpie (24.65%) and white-grey magpie (17.19%) as dominant colors. The proportions of white-grey (75%) and multicolored (51.85%) in Far northern zone of Benin (FNZB) were higher (P < 0.05) than those in the cotton zone of northern Benin (CZNB), Food-producing zone of southern Borgou (FZSB) and West-Atacora Zone (WAZ). The red coloring of the tarsi was more dominant in the FZSB (63.09%) and the FZSB (61.79%) (P < 0.05). Orange (57.47%) and yellow (28.82%) colored beaks were dominant but did not vary (P > 0.05) from one agro-ecological zone to another. Quantitative traits such as body length, tarsus length, wing span and thoracic circumference of geese varied (P < 0.05) between 71.34 to73.22 cm, 10.08 to 10.6 cm, 131.95 to 135.42 cm and between 42.07 to 43.86 cm respectively. Males differed significantly from females (P < 0.05) for all morphometric traits. The live weight of geese in the FNZB showed higher values than those of other agro-ecological zones (P ˂ 0.05). In addition, white phenotype geese (3.76 kg) were heavier (P ˂ 0.05) than other phenotypes. All correlations between weight and body measurements of domestic geese were positive, but the correlations between live weight and wing span (r = 0.68) were the strongest. These correlations could be used to assess the live weight of the geese population studied and for selection based on live weight. This study provides a reference for morpho-biometric traits and will be complemented by molecular characterization.

Dietary protein levels during 12 to 26 wk improve the growth performance, bone quality, and testosterone in Pearl Gray male guinea fowl (Numida meleagris).

Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), although native to Africa and despite its many potentials, does not represent the dominant species on the continent because of its seasonal reproductive nature and high keets mortality. This study was conducted to assess the effect of crude protein levels on growth performance, bone characteristics and reproductive activity of Pearl Gray male breeder guinea fowl from 12 to 26 wk of age. A total of 120 twelve-wk-old guinea fowls were randomly allotted to 3 dietary treatments with 8 replicates each and 5 birds per replicate using a completely randomized design. The dietary treatments comprised low level (LL), normal level (NL), and high level (HL) with diets respectively containing 15, 17, and 19% crude protein (CP). The results showed that guinea fowl in the HL treatment had a significantly lower feed conversion ratio (P = 0.008) than those in the other treatments. The birds fed the HL diet had significantly higher concentrations of testosterone (P < 0.05) than in the other treatments. High levels of calcium and phosphorus were observed in the femur of the HL group relative to the LL group. The birds in the LL treatment had a significantly higher (P = 0.007) femur robusticity index than those in the HL treatment. In conclusion, feeding 19% crude protein to Pearl Gray male guinea fowl from 12 to 26 wk of age improves growth performance, the density and strength of the femur and tibia and the reproductive tract. The CP level for the best performance of male guinea fowl from 12 to 26 wk of age is 19%.