Body weight increase of indigenous pearl guinea fowl in Nigeria through crossbreeding

Abstract

1. The performance of the crossbreds of local unimproved Pearl (RBC) and improved local Pearl (SLP) with improved exotic Pearl (EP) were compared with that of the 'purebreds' of the RBC, SLP and EP to 18 weeks of age. 2. The crossbreds of SLP and EP (SLEP) and RBC and EP (RBEP) had higher body weight and efficiency of food utilisation than the local parents. Heterosis was 5.3, 24.3, 1.6 and 1.6% at 0, 6, 12 and 18 weeks of age, respectively, for RBEP and 3.7, 30.8, 11.5 and 8.6% at 0, 6, 12 and 18 weeks of age, respectively, for SLEP. RBEP was 14.5, 98.8, 35.1, and 36.2% superior to RBC at 0, 6, 12 and 18 weeks of age, respectively. SLEP was also 22.0, 98.7, 41.7 and 41.1% superior to SLP at 0, 6, 12 and 18 weeks of age, respectively. Efficiency of food utilisation improved by 20.4% in RBEP and 24.2% in SLEP. The crossbreds were however inferior to EP in terms of weight gain and efficiency of food utilisation. 3. Evidence from this study indicated that crossing the local Pearl guinea fowl with the faster-growing exotic stock is capable of rapidly improving the body weight of the indigenous guinea fowl and hence its usefulness as a source of meat in Nigeria.