Guinea Hens Research Articles

Effects of housing systems and laying phases on external and internal egg quality characteristics of indigenous guinea fowl hens.

The study investigated the effect of housing system and laying phases on the internal and external qualities of guinea fowl eggs laid in three different housing systems. The trial involved the use of 117, 34-wk-old guinea fowl hens which were assigned to three housing types, which were battery cages, deep litter, and deep litter housing systems with free runs, which had the same dimensions as deep litter houses but with free run and open-air space to allow the birds to have free access to soil and exhibit natural behavior. The laying phases of the birds were partitioned into three (36 to 40, 41 to 45, and 46 to 50wk of age). The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using a 2×3 factorial design. The findings demonstrated that both housing type and laying period significantly influenced egg quality parameters, with deep litter housing exhibiting higher egg weight, egg breadth, and shell surface area. Battery cage housing had thicker shells and a higher percentage of shell weight than total egg weight. As the birds aged, most parameters increased, while shell thickness decreased. The interaction between housing type and laying period played a crucial role, with egg weight, breadth, and egg shape index increasing as the birds aged. The shell thickness decreased as the laying period progressed across all housing systems. During the 40 to 45wk period of lay, they exhibited the highest albumen height, haugh unit, and % yolk weight. The study's findings highlight how the interaction between the housing system and the laying period impacted the internal quality of guinea fowl eggs.

Effects of strain and season on incubation parameters of Nigerian local guinea fowls

The study was conducted to determine the effects of strain and season on incubation parameters of Nigerian local guinea fowls. A total of three thousand six hundred (3600) fertile eggs (400 eggs per strain in each of the three seasons; early rainy, late rainy and early dry) generated from 144 matured guinea fowls (120 guinea hens and 24 guinea cocks) were used to obtained the following parameters; number of eggs set (NOES), number of fertile eggs (NOFE), number of dead in shell (NODIS), number of eggs hatched (NOEH), fertility (%) and hatchability (%). Data generated for the study were subjected to multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) of SPSS 25 (2017) to determine the effects of season and strain on incubation parameters. The results of the study showed that Pearl strain had significantly higher (p<0.001) NOFE (320.00), NODIS (36.00), NOEH (274.89), fertility (80.00 %) and hatchability (85.91 %). Season wise, late rainy and early dry seasons had significantly higher (p<0.001) values on most incubation parameters observed. The interaction effect of strain and season on incubation parameters of guinea fowls was not significant, except on NOEH (p<0.001) where estimates obtained for Pearl at late rainy and early dry seasons had the highest values, while the least were observed in Lavender during early rainy, late rainy and early dry periods. In conclusion, Pearl strain of Nigerian local guinea fowl had the best results for incubation parameters during late rainy and early dry seasons than white and Lavender types.

Post-hatch changes in the histological structure of the oviduct and associated 17β-estradiol profiles in guinea hens (Numida meleagris)

There are limited data available on the biology of guinea fowls. The objective of this study was to document post-hatch histological and stereological changes in the oviducts of 56 guinea hens and associated 17β-estradiol profiles until 32 weeks of age and to explore changes in the oviducal mucosal fold as an index of oviducal growth. Mucosal folds in all regions of the oviduct increased significantly ( P < 0.0001) from 4 to 28 weeks of age. Concentrations of plasma 17β-estradiol increased from 20 to 28 weeks of age, when it stabilized. Mucosal folds in the oviducts of sexually active hens were highest in the uterine region and lowest in the infundibular lip. Intercorrelations among 17β-estradiol concentration, height of mucosal folds, and oviducal weight were strong and positive in these birds. Most of the oviduct epithelium consisted of pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium. Both the height of oviducal folds and peripheral estradiol concentrations increased significantly from 20 to 28 weeks of age, which confirms the role of estradiol in oviducal growth in the avian species. The height of oviducal mucosal folds appears to be a good measure of oviducal growth.

Determination of Egg Internal and External Quality Characteristics with Mathematical Formulas in Guinea Hens

This study was carried out to determine some internal and external quality characteristics of 378 eggs collected between March and July from 42-week-old Guinea Hens (Numidae meleagris) raised by the public in Erzincan province, using mathematical formulas. Egg external quality features include shape index 73%, elongation 1.37, egg surface area 55.65 cm2, egg volume 40.39 cm3, shell thickness 0.28 mm, shell weight 3.19 g, number of pores-1 6686.05, number of pores-2 5156.10, number of pores- 3 5043.33 pieces, pore density-1 120.22 pore number/cm2, pore density-2 92.62 pore number/cm2, pore density-3 90.52 pore number/cm2; The yolk weight and white weight of the egg were determined as 6.02 g and 30.89 g, from the egg internal quality characteristics. As a result, in this study, yolk weight, shell weight and shell thickness values of egg internal and external quality characteristics calculated using mathematical formulas based on egg weight without spoiling the egg integrity were found to be lower than the values in some studies determined by measurement, while the white weight value was found to be higher.

Detection of Campylobacter jejuni diversity by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) from an animal farm

Background Campylobacter jejuni is the leading bacterial pathogen that causes foodborne illness worldwide. Because of genetic diversity and sophisticated growth requirements of C. jejuni, several genotyping methods have been investigated to classify this bacterium during the outbreaks. One of such method is to use clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR).ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to explore the diversity of C. jejuni isolates with CRISPR from an animal farm.MethodsSeventy‐seven C. jejuni isolates from an animal farm were used in this study. The day‐old broilers were reared with other poultry and farm animals, including layer hens, guinea hens, dairy goats and sheep. A small swine herd was also present on an adjacent, but separate plot of land. Isolation and identification of C. jejuni were performed according to the standard procedures. The CRISPR type 1 was PCR amplified from genomic DNA, and the amplicons were sequenced by the Sanger dideoxy method. The direct repeats (DRs) and spacers of the CRISPR sequences were identified using the CRISPRFinder.ResultsThe CRISPR sequences were detected in all 77 isolates. One type of DRs was identified in these 77 isolates. The lengths of the CRISPR locus ranged from 100 to 560 nucleotides, whereas the number of spacers ranged from one to eight. The distributions of the numbers of CRISPR spacers from different sources seemed to be random. Overall, 17 out of 77 (22%) C. jejuni isolates had two and five spacers, whereas 14 out of 77 (18%) isolates had three spaces in their genomes. By further analysis of spacer sequences, a total of 266 spacer sequences were identified in 77 C. jejuni isolates. By comparison with known published spacer sequences, we observed that 49 sequences were unique in this study. The CRISPR sequence combination of Nos. 16, 19, 48 and 57 was found among a total of 15 C. jejuni isolates containing various multi‐locus sequence typing (MLST) types (ST‐50, ST‐607, ST‐2231 and ST‐5602). No. 57 spacer sequence was unique from this study, whereas the other three (Nos. 16, 19 and 48) sequences were found in previous reports. Combination of Nos. 5, 9, 15, 30 and 45 was associated with ST‐353. To compare the CRISPR genotyping with other methods, the MLST was selected due to its high discriminatory power to differentiate isolates. Based on calculation of the Simpson's index of diversity, a combination of both methods had higher Simpson's index value than those for CRISPR or MLST, respectively.ConclusionsOur results suggest that the MLST from C. jejuni isolates can be discriminated based on the CRISPR unique spacer sequences and the numbers of spacers. In the future, investigation on the CRISPR resolution for C. jejuni identification in outbreaks is needed. A database that integrates both MLST sequences and CRISPR sequences and is searchable is greatly in demand for tracking outbreaks and evolution of this bacterium.

Postembryonic developmental changes in ovarian histology and associated 17β-oestradiol and progesterone profiles in guinea hens (Numida meleagris)

There is a paucity of information on the reproductive biology of guinea hens. A study was conducted to document postembryonic developmental changes in the ovarian histology and associated progesterone and 17β-oestradiol profiles until 32 wk of age (WOA). Highly significant increases (P < 0.001) were noticed in oocyte and follicular diameters beyond 16 WOA. Other ovarian follicular morphometric traits showed inconsistent increases until 16 WOA. The first phase of yolk deposition occurred between hatching and 20 WOA, the second phase between 20 and 26 WOA, and the third and final phase between 27 and 28 WOA. Peripheral 17β-oestradiol concentrations increased from 20 WOA until it peaked at 28 WOA, whereas peripheral progesterone concentrations fluctuated considerably during sexual development. Both oestradiol and progesterone concentrations were negatively and moderately correlated (P < 0.01) with oocyte nuclei diameter, granulosa and theca layer heights. However, oestradiol concentrations were positively and strongly correlated (P < 0.001) with oocyte and follicular diameters, and moderately with progesterone concentrations. Three phases of yolk depositions were found in the guinea hen, with the final phase terminating at 28 WOA, at a much smaller oocyte diameter than in the domestic chicken. Oestradiol might play a role in yolk deposition in this species.

EXTERNAL CHARACTERIZATION OF FOUR INDIGENOUS HELMETED GUINEA FOWL VARIETIES (Numida meleagris galeata Pallas 1882) IN NIGERIA

The physical characteristics of 338 indigenous helmeted guinea fowls at 28 and 52 weeks of age were described. Four main colour types or varieties recognised were Ash (Lavender), Black, Pearl (Grey) and pure White. Body weights averaged 1.15 ± 0.03kg and 1.34 ± 0.05kg at 28 and 52 weeks of age respectively for the guinea cocks and 1.07 æ 0.04kg and 1.29 æ 0.06kg at 28 and 52 weeks respectively for the guinea hens. The overall mean body weight for the entire population was 1.1 ± 0.4kg at 28 weeks of age and 1.31 ± 0.07kg at 52 weeks of age. Body weights were significantly (P<.05) bigger at end of laying (52 weeks) than at pointof lay. The males at each age and in each variety also had larger body weights than the females. The guinea cocks had slightly longer body (43.1 vs 42.6cm), keel (14.8 vs 14.4cm), wing (20.3 vs 20.2cm), shank (8.4 vs 7.9cm), drum stick (13.1vs 12.4cm), thigh (9.9 vs 9.6cm), toes and claws, wattle (3.0 vs 2.6cm), jhelmet (3.7 vs 3.2cm), beak (2.7 vs 2.5cm) and larger body girth (30.3 vs 29.4cm) than the guinea hens. About 21.14 and 24.16% of the neck of the males and females respectively were devoid of feathers. Colour of the naked portion of the neck was bluish-black and bear long hair like filoplumes on the dorsalregion. The colour of the beak was light brown in all the birds. All the Black and White birds had light brown shanks while 28.9 and 37.5% of the Ash and Pearl birds, respectively had partly brown and partly grey shank. 62.5 and 28.6% of the Pearl and Ash birds respectively, had brown shanks while 42.6% of the Ash birds had grey shank. The colour of the wattle was red in all the birds. The great variation in the various parameters measured and weighed suggests that they can probably be used in selection and hence genetic improvement of the local helmeted guinea fowl.

Effects of dietary supplementation with vitamin E, selenium yeast or both on egg incubation response, embryonic development, keet quality, and posthatch growth of helmeted guinea fowl breeders.

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with vitamin E (vit. E), selenium yeast (Se yeast), or both on egg incubation response, embryonic development, keet quality, and posthatch growth of helmeted guinea fowls. Two hundred and forty 24-week old helmeted guinea fowl hens (average weight 1.75+0.22kg) and cocks (average weight 2.15+0.20kg) were assigned into 24 pens; each pen housed 10 hens and 2 cocks. There were four dietary treatments consisting of a basal diet (control), basal diet supplemented with vit. E (30IU/kg), Se yeast (0.3mg/kg Se), or both. Six pens were assigned to each treatment. Egg incubation response were estimated using 504 settable eggs sampled from each treatment collected during 15 to 17weeks in lay. A total of 72 fertile eggs sampled from each treatment were used for the estimation of embryonic development. Quality of day-old keets hatched was scored based on physical conditions, while posthatch growth was measured for 21days. Guinea fowl breeders fed diet supplemented with both vit. E and Se yeast produced the highest (P < 0.05) number of fertile eggs, percentage fertility, number of hatchlings, hatchability of total eggs, and hatchability of fertile eggs. Supplementation with vit. E + Se yeast resulted in the heaviest (P < 0.05) embryo weight, relative embryo weight, least (P <0.05) yolk sac weight, and relative yolk sac weight on 25days of incubation. Hatchlings from breeders fed diet supplemented with Se yeast and vit. E + Se yeast showed normal swallowed yolk. Supplementation of maternal diet with vit. E, Se yeast, and vit. E + Se yeast resulted in improved (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio of subsequent hatchlings during 1 to 7-day posthatch growth. It can be concluded that dietary supplementation of vit. E + Se yeast in guinea fowl breeders resulted in improved egg fertility, hatchability, heavier embryo weights, hatchlings of good quality, and improved posthatch growth during the first 7days.

Changes of Selected Egg Quality Traits Depending on the Laying Period of Semi-Intensively Raised Guinea Fowl Hens

The aim of this study was to evaluate selected egg quality traits depending on the laying period of pearl grey guinea fowl hens reared in semi-intensive system. In each of three evaluation terms (the second, fourth and sixth month of laying period) 40 eggs were collected, with the total of 120 eggs were used for quality evaluation. Methods of descriptive analysis and one-way ANOVA were used for data analysis. Overall values of three evaluation terms for egg weight, shell thickness, yolk to albumen ratio, Haugh units and yolk colour were 40.63 ± 0.27 g, 0.50 ± 0.01 mm, 0.58 ± 0.01, 75.37 ± 0.41 and 12.74 ± 0.11, respectively, whereas overall values of shell, albumen and yolk proportion were 15.32 ± 0.15, 53.75 ± 0.16 and 30.94 ± 0.17%, respectively. Significant differences were found for values of egg quality traits depending on the laying period, but the average value was generally comparable with literature data reported for similar rearing conditions for this Guinea fowl variety.

Evaluation of Loss in Vigour of the Dual Purpose French Guinea Fowl and Their Mixed Genetic Grade in Katsina, Nigeria

The effect of genetic grade (strain) on body weight and body linear measurements of the pure grade dual purpose French guinea fowl strain (116 birds) and their mixed genetic grade (32 birds) was determined using a linear mathematical model. Birds were raised under intensive system in Katsina state. Loss in vigour of the pure grade dual purpose French guinea fowl was calculated by difference. There was a significant (P < 0.05) effect of strain (genetic grade) on body weight and body linear measurements. The pure grade dual purpose French guinea fowl cocks and hens had significantly higher body weight and most body linear measurements than counterpart dual purpose mixed genetic grade guinea fowl cocks and hens. The pure grade dual purpose French guinea fowl cocks and hens had lower coefficients of variation (7.76 and 9.60 %) than the dual purpose guinea fowl cocks and hen mixed genetic grades (13.11 and 13.54 %). The dual purpose mixed genetic grade guinea fowl cocks and hens had longer helmet length than counterpart pure grade dual purpose French guinea cocks and hens. Strain (genetic grade) had no effect on tail length of guinea hens. There were high loss of vigour (56.25 and 57.69 %) of helmet thickness followed by (28.82 and 37.38 %) for body weight of the dual purpose French guinea fowl cocks and hens. Body length (3.76 and 0.56 %) and thigh length (4.22 and 1.85 %) respectively for guinea fowl cocks and hens, were the morphometric traits that had the lowest reduction in vigour among all quantitative traits evaluated. The dual purpose French guinea fowl and their mixed genetic grade had higher body weight than counterpart local guinea fowl strains. Introduction of the dual purpose French guinea fowl into the tropics can aid the diversification of rural poultry production.

Quantifying sperm egg interaction to assess the breeding efficiency through artificial insemination in guinea fowls

ABSTRACT1. Guinea fowl hens were inseminated weekly once with two doses of spermatozoa (75 million and 100 million) in two different diluents, Beltsville poultry semen extender (BPSE), and Instruments for Veterinary Medicine (IMV), each with and without pre-insemination vaginal douching. Per cent fertility, hatchability, dead germ, dead in shells along with data on sperm egg interaction and vaginal microbial counts were recorded.2. Artificial insemination had significantly improved the per cent fertility and hatchability compared to natural mating. Dose dependent improvement in fertility was noticed with both diluents.3. There was a beneficial effect of vaginal douching, which was more pronounced at lower insemination doses.4. For optimum fertility and hatchability in guinea fowl, insemination of 75 million spermatozoa diluted in BPSE once in 4 d and 100 million spermatozoa diluted in BPSE or IMV once in 5 d coupled with vaginal douching is recommended.

Effects of season on the reproductive organs and steroid hormone profiles in guinea hens (Numida meleagris)

The study documented gross anatomical and histological differences in the reproductive organs of 28 breeding and non-breeding female guinea fowls. Peripheral progesterone and 17β-oestradiol concentrations were also compared in breeding and non-breeding hens.In non-breeding females, all ovarian and oviducal gross anatomical features had significantly regressed. Histologically, some of the changes in a regressing oviduct include systematic changes in height and size of all epithelial cells in all regions of the duct, absence/sparse ciliation of portions of surface epithelium in the magnum, isthmian and uterine regions, general loss of cytoplasmic mass, reduction in size and degeneration of tubular glands. Mucosal folds in all regions of the oviduct except the infundibular lip were higher in breeding females.No difference was found between the two groups in plasma progesterone concentrations. Breeding females, however, had higher peripheral oestradiol concentrations than non-breeding females. About 2 h prior to oviposition, plasma oestradiol concentrations peaked at 2.4-fold (230 pg/ml) compared with baseline concentration and plasma progesterone concentrations by nearly 9-fold (5.29 ng/ml) of baseline.Significant regression and changes in the histological structure of the ovary and oviduct had occurred in non-breeding females, and lower peripheral oestrogen concentrations may be responsible for this phenomenon.

Trading nature: Tahitians, Europeans, and ecological exchange

When Captain Samuel Wallis became the first European to land at Tahiti in June 1767, he left not only a British flag on shore but also three guinea hens, a pair of turkeys, a pregnant cat, and a garden planted with peas for the chiefess Purea. Thereafter, a succession of European captains, missionaries, and others planted seeds and introduced livestock from around the world. In turn, the islanders traded away great quantities of important island resources, including valuable and spiritually significant plants and animals. What did these exchanges mean? What was their impact? The answers are often unexpected. They also reveal the ways islanders retained control over their societies and landscapes in an era of increasing European intervention. Trading Nature explores - from both the European and Tahitian perspective - the effects of 'ecological exchange' on one island from the mid-eighteenth century to the present day. Through a series of dramatic episodes, Trading Nature uncovers the potency of trading in nature. In the interweavings of chiefly power, ordinary islanders, the ambitions of outsiders, transplanted species, and existing ecologies, the book uncovers the cultural and ecological impacts of cross-cultural exchange. Evidence of these transactions has been found in a rich variety of voyage journals, missionary diaries, Tahitian accounts, colonial records, travelers' tales, and a range of visual and material sources. The story progresses from the first trades on Tahiti's shores for provisions for British and French ships to the contrasting histories of cattle in Tahiti and Hawai'i.

Works by Welty: A Continuing Checklist

Works by Welty: A Continuing Checklist Pearl A. McHaney Click for larger view View full resolution “Conversations with Charlotte Capers and Eudora Welty, August 1994.” Interview by Mae Miller Claxton. Eudora Welty Newsletter 32.2 (Summer 2008): 6–15. Cuentos completos (Collected Stories). Various translators. Barcelona: Lumen Editorial, 2009. 987 pages. “Eudora Welty and Walker Percy: The Southern Imagination.” Interview by William F. Buckley. Chesterton Review 35 (Spring/Summer 2009): 333–57. [Reprint from Mississippi Quarterly 26 (Fall 1973): 493–516] Eudora Welty as Photographer. Ed. Pearl Amelia McHaney. Jackson: UP of Mississippi, 2009. [i]–viii, [1]–96. Forty-three photographs by Welty ii, 2, 10, 27–66. Preface and Acknowledgments vi–viii. “The Observing Eye” by McHaney 3–24, “Eudora Welty and Photography” by Sandra S. Phillips 69–79, and “Eudora Welty: The Intrepid Observer” by Deborah Willis 81–84. Chronology [of Welty as photographer] 85–91. Index of Photographs 93–96. Occasions: Selected Writings. Ed. Pearl Amelia McHaney. Jackson: UP of Mississippi, 2009. [i]–xvii, [1]–350. Biographical Note xi–xii, Foreword xiii–xv, Acknowledgements xvii. I. Stories and Skits: Acrobats in a Park, [1935] 3–13; Introduction to Acrobats in a Park, 1980 14–16; The Doll, 1936 17–23; Magic, 1936 24–33; Retreat, 1937 34–40; Song of the Times, 1949 41–43; Bye-Bye Brevoort, 1949 44–54. II. Wit and Wisdom: Women!! Make Turban in Own Home!, 1941 57–63; Letters to Charles Shattuck regarding Ida M’Toy, 1942 64–70; Literature and the Lens, 1944 71–74; The Abode of Summer, 1952 75–78; A Flock of Guinea Hens Seen from a Car, 1957 79–80; Weddings and Funerals, 1979 81–84; Charles Dickens’s Eggnog, 1981 85–86. III. The Arts: José de Creeft, 1944 89–94; Chodorov and Fields in Mississippi, 1956 96–99; John Rood, 1958 100–02; [End Page 153] William Hollingsworth Show, 1958 103–05; On Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, 1959 106–07; On Fairy Tales, 1963 108–11; Review of Martha Graham: Portrait of the Lady as an Artist by LeRoy Leatherman, 1967 112–17; Introduction, The Democratic Forest by William Eggleston, 1989, 118–23. IV. Underfoot Locally: A Ballad: The Fight between Governor Johnson and Fred Sullens, [1938] 127–29; From the Mississippi Women’s War Bonds News Letter, Club Issue, 1944 130–31; On the Lamar Life Insurance Company: A Salute from One of the Family, 1956 132–35; Books for Hospitals, Institutions, and Prisons, 1961 136–39; Preface: A Note on the Cook, 1976 140–42; Aunt Beck’s Chicken Pie, 1980 143–44; Jackson: A Neighborhood, 1982 145–50; A Note about New Stage, 1983 151–55; Jackson Communiqué, 1985 156–58. V. On Writers: Place and Time: The Southern Writer’s Inheritance, 1954 161–69; Tribute to Isak Dinesen, 1962 170; Tribute to Flannery O’Connor, 1964 171; Tribute to Allen Tate, 1979 172–73; Foreword, Self-Portrait: Ceaselessly into the Past by Ross Macdonald, 1981 174–78; Foreword, The Stories of Elizabeth Spencer, 1981 179–81; Foreword, To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, 1981 182–87; Afterword, Novel Writing in an Apocalyptic Time by Walker Percy, 1986 188–90. VI. On Friends: Nash K. Burger Jr. of Jackson, Mississippi, 1974 193–200; Foreword, The Capers Papers by Charlotte Capers, 1982 201–03; Celebrating Reynolds Price, 1983 204–05; “That Bright Face is Laughing” for Robert W. Daniel, 1983 206–07; Tribute to Walker Percy, 1991 208–11; Introduction to Norton Book of Friendship, 1991 212–19. VII. Public Engagements: Voice of the People, Letter against Gerald L. K. Smith, 1945 223–24; Department of Amplification, Letter in defense of William Faulkner, 1949 225–28; What Stevenson Started, 1953 229–31; Is There A Reader in the House?, 1955 232–34; English from the Inside, 1966 235–42; From Where I Live, 1969 243–45; Opening Remarks, Governor’s Conference on the Arts: New Audiences/New Creators, 1974 246–49; Letter to the Editor of the New York Times Book Review in defense of The Surface of Earth by Reynolds Price, 1975 250–52; Introduction, Inaugural Papers of Governor William F. Winter, 1980 253–56; Prologue, Inauguration of Governor...

Effect of Varying Concentrations of Dietary Crude Protein and Metabolizable Energy on Laying Performance of Pearl Grey Guinea Fowl Hens

This study was conducted to evaluate optimum dietary concentrations of ME and CP for egg production performance of the Pearl Gray guinea fowl laying hens. In a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement, 360 Pearl Gray guinea fowl replacement pullets (22 wk of age) were randomly assigned to experimental diets with 2,800 and 2,900 kcal of ME/kg of diet, each containing 14, 16, and 18% CP, respectively. Each dietary treatment was replicated 4 times, and feed and water were provided ad libitum. Experimental birds were raised in laying cages and received 16 h of light throughout the study period. The birds were observed for feed consumption, hen-day egg production (HDEP), egg weight (EW), egg mass (EM), feed conversion ratio, internal egg quality, shell thickness (ST), and BW at the end of each 28-d lay period at 26 to 50 wk of age and at 62 to 86 wk of age. Mortality was recorded as it occurred. Mean HDEP, EW, EM, and ST were higher (P < 0.05) in hens receiving diets with 2,800 kcal of ME/kg of feed than those fed diets containing 2,900 kcal of ME/kg of diet. Hens on 14% CP diets also exhibited higher (P < 0.05) HDEP, EM, and ST than those fed diets containing 16 and 18% CP diets. Mean feed conversion ratio of birds on 2,800 kcal of ME/kg of diet and 14% CP diets were significantly lower than those of hens on other dietary treatments. Differences in feed consumption, EW, internal egg quality, BW, and mortality among dietary ME and CP concentrations were not significant (P > 0.05). Overall, diets composed of 2,800 kcal of ME/kg of diet and 14% CP were utilized more efficiently by the Pearl Gray guinea fowl laying hens at 26 to 50 and 62 to 86 wk of age.

Laying Performance of Pearl Gray Guinea Fowl Hens as Affected by Caging Density

The caging density required for optimal egg production by various avian species and varieties is highly variable. Even so, little is known of the required cage density for optimum performance of the laying guinea fowl (Numida meleagris). The objective of this study was to assess the effect of varying cage densities on production performance of pearl gray guinea fowl laying hens. In 3 replicates, 270 pearl gray guinea hens [28 wk of age (WOA)] were weighed individually and randomly assigned to laying cages at densities of 1, 2, and 3 birds/cage, equivalent to 1,394, 697, and 465 cm2/bird, respectively. During the experiment, all birds received a 16-h lighting regimen and were fed the same diet, comprising 2,800 kcal of ME/kg of diet and 16% CP (28 to 59 WOA) and 2,800 kcal of ME/kg of diet and 14% CP (60 to 76 WOA). Feed and water were provided for ad libitum consumption. Experimental birds were observed for feed consumption (FC), hen-day egg production (HDEP), egg weight, egg mass (EM), feed conversion ratio, internal egg quality, and shell thickness at the end of each 28-d lay period for 11 consecutive periods. Mean FC and HDEP decreased significantly with increases in cage density, such that 1,394 > 697 > 465 cm2/bird. Mean EM was also higher (P < 0.05) for birds reared in cages at 1,394 cm2/bird than those reared in cages at 697 and 465 cm2/bird (24.8, 17.4, and 14 g/hen per d, respectively). Feed conversion, HDEP, and EM were negatively correlated with cage density (P < 0.05). Mean feed conversion ratio and percentage of mortality were also lower in birds reared in cages at 1,394 cm2/bird than in other treatment groups. Therefore, laying guinea fowl hens exhibited superior performance when raised at a density of 1 bird/cage (1,394 cm2/bird) than those reared at densities of 2 and 3 birds/cage (697 and 465 cm2/bird, respectively).

Hatching And Brooding Of Guinea Fowl (&lt;i&gt;Numida meleagris galeata pellas&lt;/i&gt;) Egg Using Local Hen

A total of 164 candled fertile guinea fowl eggs were selected from the College farm and were randomly assigned to two treatment group consisting seven local hens and six guinea fowl hens. Effects of these replacement on hatchability, embryonic mortality, mean incubation time and weaned/keet mortality were investigated. The result shows that there were significantly (P

Epidemiology, production losses, and control measures associated with an outbreak of avian influenza subtype H7N2 in Pennsylvania (1996-98).

An outbreak of H7N2 low-pathogenicity (LP) avian influenza (AI) occurred in a two-county area in Pennsylvania from December of 1996 through April of 1998. The outbreak resulted in infection of 2,623,116 commercial birds on 25 premises encompassing 47 flocks. Twenty-one (one premise with infection twice) of the twenty-five infected premises housed egg-laying chickens and one premise each had turkeys, layer pullets, quail, and a mixed backyard dealer flock. Despite dose proximity of infected flocks to commercial broiler flocks, no infected broilers were identified. Experimentally, when market age broilers were placed on an influenza-infected premise they seroconverted and developed oviduct lesions. The outbreak was believed to have originated from two separate introductions into commercial layer flocks from premises and by individuals dealing in sales of live fowl in the metropolitan New York and New Jersey live-bird markets. Source flocks for these markets are primarily in the northeast and mid-Atlantic areas, including Pennsylvania. Mixed fowl sold include ducks, geese, guinea hens, quail, chukar partridges, and a variety of chickens grown on perhaps hundreds of small farms. Infections with the H7N2 AI virus were associated with variable morbidity and temporary decreases in egg production ranging from 1.6% to 29.1% in commercial egg-laying chickens. Egg production losses averaged 4.0 weeks duration. Mortality ranged from 1.5 to 18.3 times normal (mean of 4.3 times normal). Duration of mortality ranged from 2 to 13 weeks (average of 3.9 weeks) in flocks not depopulated. Lesions observed were primarily oviducts filled with a mucous and white gelatinous exudates and atypical egg yolk peritonitis. Quarantine of premises and complete depopulation were the early measures employed in control of this outbreak. Epidemiological studies suggested that depopulation furthered the spread of influenza to nearby flocks. Thereafter, later control measures included quarantine, strict biosecurity, and controlled marketing of products.

Early Lay Characteristics and Haematology of Pearl Guinea Fowls as Influenced by Dietary Protein and Energy Levels

An experiment involving 3 metabolizable energy and 3 crude protein levels was used to investigate the influence of dietary protein and energy levels on the early lay characteristics and haematological parameters in 270 sub-humid tropical Pearl guinea fowl hens. The results indicated significantly (P 0.05) among diets as a result of differences in energy or protein content. However, of the blood components evaluated, total protein, vitellogenin and serum calcium in serum were optimized by the 2750kcal/kg ME - 18% protein diet.

Estrogen Receptor Binding in the Oviduct Magnum of Guineafowl Hens. Comparison with White Leghorn Hens.

Estrogen receptor bindings in cytosol and nuclear fractions of the magnum tissue of laying guineafowl and White Leghorn hens were examined by binding assays using [3H]-estradiol-17β. The value of equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) in both the cytosol and the nuclear fractions was not different between the two different times, 1.5h and 23h after oviposition, and also between the guineafowl and the chicken. The maximum binding capacity (Bmax) was greater at 1.5h after oviposition than at 23h after oviposition in both cytosol and nuclear fractions of White Leghorn hens and in the nuclear fraction of the guineafowl hens, although the Bmax value was smaller in the guineafowl hens than in White Leghorn hens. The results suggest that the smaller binding capacity of the estrogen receptor in the oviduct magnum may be related to the less amount of albumen secreted from the oviduct magnum in the guineafowl hens than in White Leghorn hens.