Multivariate analyses of morphological traits characterise the Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) of Burkina Faso as a homogeneous population

Abstract

Abstract Guinea fowl is one of the economical most important livestock species in Burkina Faso. To characterise the phenotypic variability of the Guinea fowl population in Burkina Faso, a total of 463 (131 males and 332 females) adult (28 weeks old) individuals belonging to 107 different householders located in 5 provinces of the country were assessed. Nine body measurements and four qualitative traits were analysed using multivariate statistical methods. The individuals sampled in the northerner Sahel area (Province of Séno) tended to have bigger size, showing the higher mean values for wing span (35.87 ±Â 0.30 cm), body length (45.11 ±Â 0.24 cm), and live weight (1.31 ±Â 0.02 kg) than from the other areas. However, the lower mean values estimated for these traits (wing span of 30.46 ±Â 0.23 cm; body length of 42.32 ±Â 0.22 cm; live weight of 1.16 ±Â 0.02 kg) did not follow a clear geographical pattern in the provinces of Poni (humid South-Western Burkina Faso), Sanguie (Western-Central Burkina Faso) and Gourma (East Burkina Faso), respectively. Furthermore, differences due to sex were small. Although females tended to be heavier (1.26 ±Â 0.01 kg) and wider at circumference of the chest (30.88 ±Â 0.15 cm) than males (1.21 ±Â 0.01 kg and 30.53 ±Â 0.23 cm, respectively), females also tended to have a shorter body and less developed wings. At the qualitative traits level, the most frequent Guinea fowl phenotype had pied plumage colour (42.76%), pigmented skin (58.96%), brown comb (75.95%) and brown tarsus (45.36%). No clear variation pattern among provinces was identifiable. Eigenvectors computed for each individual assessed via Principal Component Analysis and correspondence analysis illustrated the relationships between individuals from different provinces. The areas of dispersion of the individuals in the respective provinces were highly intermingled, suggesting that differences in body measurements and qualitative traits were not related to geography. The current information will be useful for the establishment of further characterisation and selection strategies for Guinea fowl in Burkina Faso.