Production characteristics and seasonal variations in genital tract of female guinea fowl

Abstract

Attempts have been made to investigate the production characteristics and seasonal variations in genital tract of female guinea fowl. Age of sexual maturity in guinea fowl was found to be 275±25 days. Yearly egg production in guinea fowl was observed to be 82±3.36 eggs. The fertility and hatchability of guinea fowl egg appears to be inferior (P<0.05) compared to chicken. The egg weight of chicken was higher (P<0.05) than guinea fowl. During breeding season the body weight increased (P<0.05) in all the three varieties (white, pearl and lavender) of guinea fowl in with increment in ovary and oviduct weight. Estradiol mean values in guinea fowl were recorded 136.66±19.60, 127.50±13.70 and 133.16±13.70 pg/ml in breeding and 59.83±10.90, 58.16±15.80 and 56.33±8.70pg/ml in non-breeding season, respectively in white, pearl and lavender varieties of guinea fowl. Higher mean values of progesterone in white, pearl and lavender were recorded as 5.09±0.45, 4.66±0.35 and 4.79±0.31 ng/ml in breeding season whereas, the lower values viz 1.51±0.16, 1.39±0.15 and 1.35 ng/ml in non-breeding season respectively. Estradiol profile was noticed more than double whereas progesterone more than three times in breeding season than the non-breeding season. Strong relationships between genital tract weight and sex steroid hormones were recorded in both the breeding and non-breeding seasons in guinea fowl.